Ex-Rep. Corrine Brown arrives in 'limousine-style' minibus to begin prison time

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Ex-Fla. Rep. Corrine Brown sentenced to 5 years in prison

Democrat gets jail time for mail, wire and tax fraud involving a sham charity.

Disgraced ex-Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown arrived in style this week at a Florida federal prison to serve her five-year sentence for lying about a purported charity for poor students that she was found to have used as a personal slush fund.

The 71-year-old emerged from a “limousine-style minibus” at the prison in Sumter County to serve her sentence for fraud on Monday, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

Brown was convicted in May of stealing money from a bogus charity, One Door For Education, which claimed to give scholarships to poor children. Instead prosecutors said she and a top aide used the donations for lavish parties, concerts and trips to the Bahamas.

Brown said she was left in the dark about the goings-on with One Door's money, and blamed the theft on her former chief of staff. But she admitted she should have paid more attention to the finances. She is appealing the conviction.

Brown, who served 24 years in Congress before she was beaten in a 2016 primary, was reportedly accompanied by family to the prison, where she will serve time at the low-security prison camp, according to the Sentinel.

Larry Levine, of Wall Street Prison Consultants, told the Sentinel that Brown will wake at 6 a.m. to wait in line for the bathroom and then breakfast. She will then tidy her room and a small locker, after which she will likely do either clerical or janitorial work.

Brown will work until 10 a.m. before a two-hour lunch break, after which she will resume work until about 4 p.m.

Levine said there would be a lot of attention on Brown from fellow inmates due to her status as a former politician, and that she could face a tough time as she serves her sentence.

“When they get high-profile inmates like her, they like to treat them like [expletive],” said Levine. “Seriously, she’s got a rough road ahead of her.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.