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Feds: Va. State Workers Discussed As Test Subjects

A federal indictment says officials at dietary supplement maker Star Scientific Inc., which is central to a gift scandal involving former Gov. Bob McDonnell, discussed using Virginia state employees as test subjects for one of their products.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A federal indictment says officials at dietary supplement maker Star Scientific Inc., which is central to a gift scandal involving former Gov. Bob McDonnell, discussed using Virginia state employees as test subjects for one of their products.

The indictment filed Tuesday charges McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, with corruption after a monthslong federal investigation into thousands of dollars in gifts the Republican is accused of getting from the company's CEO.

Court records say Star Scientific's Jonnie Williams, identified as "JW" in court records, met Maureen McDonnell and a senior state health official at the governor's mansion in August 2011. He discussed having state employees use Anatabloc as a control group for research studies.

The indictment says a research scientist consulting for Star Scientific sent Maureen McDonnell an email with a similar suggestion, which she forwarded to her husband.

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