Aaron Schock, Former Illinois Congressman, Indicted On 24 Criminal Counts

Former Illinois republican Congressman Aaron Schock was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday on 24 separate criminal accounts.

Elected in 2008, Schock was forced to resign from the House due to a criminal investigation on March 31, 2015. The alleged criminal acts include theft of government funds, fraud, making false statements and filing false tax returns.

Schock’s troubles began when he decorated his office in the style of Downton Abbey. An Illinois designer was paid for the work, but the payment was covered up by one of Schlock’s aides.

Schlock’s defense attorney George Terwilliger issued a statement from the former Congressman on Thursday condemning the government’s action.

“I intend to not only prove these allegations false,” Schlock said in the statement, “but in the process, expose this investigation for what it was.” Terwilliger believes that Schlock was the victim of a politically charged ambush.

Schlock, 35, could spend a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted on the charges.