A Former Las Vegas councilwoman has been charged with participating in a charity fraud scheme.
Michele Fiore, a current Nye County, Nevada, justice of the peace, was charged for her part in an elaborate charity scheme.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Las Vegas Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Dahoud Askar and Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case on behalf of the Justice Department.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment that showed that Fiore played a part in defrauding donors who made financial pledges to support a charity. This charity revolved around police officers who sadly lost their lives in the line of duty.
Fiore charged for charity fraud scheme
Fiore was meant to use the donations gained by the charity to create a statute honoring the fallen police officers who died performing their vital roles.
This shocking misuse of charity funds levied on an active public servant is likely to rumble on. Still, Fiore publicly stated that “100% of the contributions” would be used to honor the fallen officers.
Instead, the court documents show that Fiore allegedly used the charity funds to “pay her political fundraising bills and rent and were transferred to family members to pay for her daughter’s wedding.”
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made today’s announcement.
Fiore faces up to 20 years in jail for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
This is not the first time Fiore has been involved with fraud or been in the cross hairs of regulators. According to the Nevada Independent, the former councilwoman faced “allegations of violating campaign finance law accusing her of taking donations exceeding the state’s $10,000 maximum contribution limit and benefiting from a potential “straw donor scheme.”
Image: VoteFiore.
