Projo Biz Blog

Journal photos / Bill Murphy
Former CVS executives John "Jack" Kramer, above, and Carlos Ortiz, below, leave U.S. District Court after having been found not guilty on all charges against them.

PROVIDENCE -- Former CVS executives John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos Ortiz have been found not guilty on all counts against them.

The two were charged with bribing former state Sen. John Celona to win favor at the State House for the giant drugstore chain based in Woonsocket.

The jury of eight men and four women reached their verdict in less than two hours. Jurors got the case at 10:35 this morning after receiving instructs from Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi.

The verdict follows a three-week trial in U.S. District Court, Providence.

Kramer and Ortiz were each charged with 1 count of conspiracy to commit honest-services mail fraud, 21 counts of honest-services mail fraud and 1 count of bribery.

For more, go to projo.com's 7to7 news blog.

Your Turn: Do you agree with the "not guilty" verdict in CVS case?

-- With reports from projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

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