SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri state lawmaker indicted on federal fraud charges for falsely claiming a treatment she sold contained stem cells that could help with COVID-19 has been stripped of some of her legislative power.
The Missouri House speaker on Monday removed fellow Republican Rep. Tricia Derges from all her committee assignments after a federal grand jury indicted the Nixa legislator.
The 20-count indictment also accuses the 63-year-old lawmaker of illegally providing prescription drugs to clients and making false statements to federal agents investigating the case.
Her defense attorney says Derges “hasn’t been convicted of a thing and she is presumed innocent.”
