A representative from California has been indicted on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy. He was also indicted on charges that he falsified records and violated campaign finance laws. According to the indictment, campaign funds were used to cover personal expenses such as dental bills that were past due as well as vacations and school lunches. Furthermore, it said that the representative and his wife engaged in a conspiracy to siphon campaign funds for their own personal use.
The congressman gave his wife a credit card to gain access to campaign funds despite the fact that she had no formal role in his campaign. In the indictment against him and his wife, there was evidence that expenses were incorrectly classified to make them seem like legitimate campaign expenses. For instance, clothes that were purchased at a golf pro shop were listed as golf balls for wounded warriors.
While the congressman says that he is innocent of the charges, evidence suggests that he was warned about his wife’s inappropriate use of campaign funds. He also asked his campaign treasurer to add his wife as a paid campaign manager so that she could receive a salary. The indictment said that the couple was living beyond their means and had $37,761 in overdraft and similar fees after overdrawing personal accounts 1,100 times.
Those who are charged with theft or other crimes may face significant jail or prison time. They may also face a fine or be required to pay restitution as part of a sentence. An attorney may be able to dispute some or all of the facts in a case. For instance, it may be possible to assert that funds were borrowed or otherwise used legitimately. That might help a defendant obtain a favorable outcome in his or her case.