Representative Chris Collins (R-NY, 27th) surrendered to the FBI Wednesday morning on charges of insider trading related his connections to an Australian biotech company, on which he served as a member of the board.
Chris Collins
The congressman has been charged with securities fraud, wire fraud and making false statements to the FBI, and is alleged to have passed nonpublic information to his son, who was also indicted. Collins had already been facing scrutiny from the Office of Congressional Ethics for his involvement with the company.
In a statement, Collins’s attorneys said they “will mount a vigorous defense to clear his good name… We are confident he will be completely vindicated and exonerated.”
Collins was the first member of Congress to endorse President Donald Trump during the 2016 election.
He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and represents parts of upstate New York, including suburbs of Buffalo and Rochester.
