Mikel D. Jones, a longtime Palm Beach County aide to U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, was found guilty today by a federal jury of scheming to defraud a New York venture capital fund that helped finance Jones’ private law firm.

Jones, 55, who lives in Boynton Beach, received a $78,578 salary in 2010 as a top local aide to Hastings while also running a personal injury law firm in Philadelphia.

Jones was convicted of conspiracy, money laundering, 14 counts of wire fraud and 14 counts of mail fraud. His wife, Dona Nichols Jones, 54, was convicted of conspiracy, money laundering, and 14 counts of wire fraud.

Mikel Jones was acquitted of several similar charges involving money his law firm obtained from the city of Philadelphia. His wife was not charged in those counts. Jones’ law firm received a $150,000 loan from the city and a “multimillion-dollar line of credit” from the private New York fund, according to the FBI.

Sentencing has been set for Feb. 7.

Jones attorney David Garvin said this afternoon that “I’m sure that he’s going to appeal because in my opinion there was a lack of evidence that he did anything wrong.”

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