Duke Cunningham

Randall Harold "Duke" Cunningham (December 8, 1941 – August 27, 2025) was an American Republican politician and Navy aviator during the Vietnam War. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from California between 1991 until his resignation 2005. He represented the  (1991–1993), the  (1993–2003) and the  (2003–2005).

For his services during the Vietnam War, Cunningham was given two Silver Stars and a Purple Heart.

Scandals ended his political career. Duke Cunningham pleaded guilty to tax evasion, conspiracy to commit bribery and other charges. He was then sentenced to prison in Tucson, Arizona. He was released from prison in February 2013. He then moved to New Orleans to spend time inside a halfway house.

Cunningham received a pardon from President Donald Trump on January 13, 2021.

Cunningham was born in Los Angeles, California. He studied at the University of Missouri and at National University.

Cunningham married Susan Albrecht in 1965. They adopted a son together. His wife filed for divorce because of emotional abuse, and the divorce was approved eight months later. Cunningham married his second wife, Nancy Jones, in 1974. They had two daughters and separated in July 2005.

Cunningham died on August 27, 2025 at a hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas at the age of 83.

References

Other websites


 The San Diego Union-Tribune's coverage of the Cunningham scandal 
 Washington Post Express interview with the authors of "The Wrong Stuff" about Cunningham and Washington's culture of corruption
 PAC donors, Indiv donors, Personal Financial Disclosures, Campaign Disbursements, at PoliticalMoneyLine 



 DeLay's prosecutors dig deeper into California
 Profile at SourceWatch


Category:Politicians from Los Angeles
Category:Republican Party (United States) politicians
Category:1941 births
Category:2025 deaths
Category:Military people from California
Category:American aviators
Category:United States representatives from California
Category:American military personnel of the Vietnam War
Category:Criminals from California
Category:American fraudsters
Category:Purple Heart recipients