As she faces a federal probe investigating her finances, former Louisiana state Senator Karen Carter Peterson is “fully cooperating” with authorities, her attorney Brian Capitelli told The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.
Capitelli said the investigation was sparked by Peterson’s gambling addiction which, along with cited mental health issues, led to Peterson’s sudden resignation from the state senate last week, ending a 22-year tenure.
Peterson went public with her gambling addiction three years ago in 2019 after she received a misdemeanor summons for a visit to L’Auberge, a casino in Baton Rouge. Her presence in the gambling establishment violated a prohibition that she herself signed up for.
Peterson voluntarily and officially had banned herself from entering the casino due to her admitted addiction.
The investigation into Peterson is taking place in Louisiana’s Eastern District and is being led by prosecutors who traffic in cases of public corruption.