Former Congressman TJ Cox could soon have his federal fraud and money laundering case come to a close.
According to court documents filed on Wednesday, the federal government has offered Cox a plea deal.
The big picture: Both parties agreed to move the status conference hearing scheduled for March 27 to May 22.
- The court filing does not reveal the details of the plea deal that Cox was offered.
- “The defendant received and is considering the government’s plea offer,” the filing reads. “The parties are in active negotiations on a resolution. The defense has requested additional information from the government and the government is in the process of responding.”
- The filing states that both parties anticipate that prior to the May 22 status conference, Cox will either accept the plea deal or request a trial date.
What we’re watching: This appears to be the last time that Cox’s case will be moved back, having already been continued six times previously.
- U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara McAuliffe wrote in the filing that she will not accept any further delays.
- “The Court will not grant further continuances, absent good cause, which will be narrowly construed, and will set a trial date at the next status conference if the case is not resolved in advance of that status hearing,” McAuliffe wrote. She also underlined that sentence to emphasize it.
The backstory: Cox, who served one term in Congress from 2019-2021, was arrested in August 2022 after being indicted by a federal grand jury for multiple financial crimes.
- Cox faces charges of 15 counts of wire fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, one count of financial institution fraud and one court of campaign contribution fraud.
- He is accused of illicitly obtaining over $1.7 million in diverted client payments and company loans and investments through his company Central Valley New Market Tax Credits from 2013 to 2018.
- He also allegedly fraudulently secured a $1.5 million loan for the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation.
