Nev. Politician Convicted of Stealing Charity Funds for Fallen Police Officers to Fund Daughter’s Wedding; gets Trump pardon

[essentialsaltes]

A former Las Vegas city councilwoman who ran for Governor in Nevada is facing federal charges for allegedly raising money to honor fallen police officers and then using the funds for herself, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

On Tuesday, July 16, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michele Fiore, 53, of Pahrump, for allegedly defrauding donors to a charity to memorialize police officers who died in the line of duty, the DOJ said in a statement.

“As alleged, Fiore did not use any of the tens of thousands of dollars in charitable donations for the statue of the fallen officer and instead converted the money to her personal use,” the DOJ says in the statement.

“The donations were used to pay her political fundraising bills and rent and were transferred to family members, including to pay for her daughter’s wedding.”

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ETA Trump pardon (oh, and conviction in post #12):

Now who didn’t see this coming. Drain that swamp!

https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardon-michele-fiore-nevada-fraud-cf56ef8b302b8111e47cf52d5a606d19

 

[Laodicean60]

for allegedly defrauding donors to a charity to memorialize police officers who died in the line of duty, the DOJ said in a statement.

Evil, for the love of money, is the root of all evil. Glad the law caught her.

 

[RileyG]

People can be so greedy. How sad.

 

[durangodawood]

Why cant we see her side of this? Do people even realize how expensive weddings are these days?

 

[Laodicean60]

Do people even realize how expensive weddings are these days?

Yes, we had one last year.

 

[durangodawood]

Yes, we had one last year.

Whatever charities you stole from, think of it as a loan and pay it back!

 

[Laodicean60]

Whatever charities you stole from, think of it as a loan and pay it back!

I have a hard time understanding tribal talk can you explain more about charities being stolen.

 

[durangodawood]

I have a hard time understanding tribal talk can you explain more about charities being stolen.

Sorry it was a possibly bad joke based on the events outlined in the OP article.

 

[Laodicean60]

Sorry it was a possibly bad joke based on the events outlined in the OP article.

Apologies! Sometimes I'm too serious on these forums I should learn to lighten up.

 

[essentialsaltes]

“The donations were used to pay her political fundraising bills and rent and were transferred to family members, including to pay for her daughter’s wedding.”

Fiore’s daughter, Sheena Siegel, has not been charged in the case — but she has figured prominently in the trial this week.

She took the stand for the defense.

During one bit of testimony, Siegel reportedly said that she signed a check over from a PAC to her own, personal account. The woman’s testimony was then cut short from that point.

Prosecutors suggested this admission was itself a federal crime. The judge interjected to say that Siegel should consider obtaining legal representation because she may have incriminated herself.

Having retained legal counsel, she returned to the stand and pleaded the fifth to all subsequent questions.

Fiore stands accused of four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

A former Las Vegas city councilwoman who ran for Governor in Nevada is facing federal charges for allegedly raising money to honor fallen police officers and then using the funds for herself, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

On Tuesday, July 16, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michele Fiore, 53, of Pahrump, for allegedly defrauding donors to a charity to memorialize police officers who died in the line of duty, the DOJ said in a statement.

“As alleged, Fiore did not use any of the tens of thousands of dollars in charitable donations for the statue of the fallen officer and instead converted the money to her personal use,” the DOJ says in the statement.

“The donations were used to pay her political fundraising bills and rent and were transferred to family members, including to pay for her daughter’s wedding.”

Well, if true, that is pretty stupid. It should be pretty easy to track where the funds went.

 

[essentialsaltes]

A jury found former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore guilty of federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges on Thursday for defrauding donors who thought they were contributing to a statue honoring a fallen Las Vegas police officer.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6.

 

[iluvatar5150]

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6.

snort

 

[essentialsaltes]

Fiore’s daughter, Sheena Siegel, has not been charged in the case — but she has figured prominently in the trial this week.
The judge interjected to say that Siegel should consider obtaining legal representation because she may have incriminated herself.
Having retained legal counsel, she returned to the stand and pleaded the fifth to all subsequent questions.

Turns out that your daughter taking the fifth will not get you a new trial.

‘Lady Trump’ denied new trial for spending fallen officer memorial donations on ‘rent, cosmetic procedures, and her daughter’s wedding’​

U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer Dorsey on Friday denied the request from Michele Fiore, who was a justice of the peace when she was initially indicted by federal authorities in July 2024 on six counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She was convicted on all seven charges following an eight-day trial in October 2024 and is currently scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Fiore’s claim [for a new trial] stemmed primarily from the fact that testimony from her daughter and business partner, Sheena Siegel, was stricken from the record after she allegedly incriminated herself on the stand, obtained a lawyer, then subsequently asserted her Fifth Amendment privilege.

 

[NxNW]

Boy, this is all straight from the Trump playbook, including the incompetence!

 

[Oompa Loompa]

A former Las Vegas city councilwoman who ran for Governor in Nevada is facing federal charges for allegedly raising money to honor fallen police officers and then using the funds for herself, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

On Tuesday, July 16, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michele Fiore, 53, of Pahrump, for allegedly defrauding donors to a charity to memorialize police officers who died in the line of duty, the DOJ said in a statement.

“As alleged, Fiore did not use any of the tens of thousands of dollars in charitable donations for the statue of the fallen officer and instead converted the money to her personal use,” the DOJ says in the statement.

“The donations were used to pay her political fundraising bills and rent and were transferred to family members, including to pay for her daughter’s wedding.”

Can we bring back the pillory?

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Why cant we see her side of this? Do people even realize how expensive weddings are these days?

Not trying to go too far off topic, but I did a Carnival Cruise wedding. It was amazing and affordable. It cost $1400 for the cruise tickets (11 day Caribbean cruise) plus around $3000 for the wedding package. Then they gave me a stack of paperwork to tell them everything from food served at the reception, cake flavor, flower colors, songs to be played, ect. Then we just showed up at the boat and had the wedding and the reception before the general boarding. After the reception, all non-sailing guests left, my new bride and I went to our room, and the honeymoon began.

 

[durangodawood]

Not trying to go too far off topic, but I did a Carnival Cruise wedding. It was amazing and affordable. It cost $1400 for the cruise tickets (11 day Caribbean cruise) plus around $3000 for the wedding package. Then they gave me a stack of paperwork to tell them everything from food served at the reception, cake flavor, flower colors, songs to be played, ect. Then we just showed up at the boat and had the wedding and the reception before the general boarding. After the reception, all non-sailing guests left, my new bride and I went to our room, and the honeymoon began.

Thats actually pretty amazing. Never would have thought you could have non-sailing guests on board. Ive done a few cruises that were family get togethers. Not my preferred mode of travel. But I can see why people like it for sure. And I had fun. By total coincidence a couple of my former band mates had worked as musicians on one of the boats I sailed on. My favorite was the Russian string quartet tho.

 

[7thKeeper]

Not trying to go too far off topic, but I did a Carnival Cruise wedding. It was amazing and affordable. It cost $1400 for the cruise tickets (11 day Caribbean cruise) plus around $3000 for the wedding package. Then they gave me a stack of paperwork to tell them everything from food served at the reception, cake flavor, flower colors, songs to be played, ect. Then we just showed up at the boat and had the wedding and the reception before the general boarding. After the reception, all non-sailing guests left, my new bride and I went to our room, and the honeymoon began.

My wife and I had our wedding at a former prison turned hotel, the prisons chapel is still in use and the hotel offers wedding packages to rent the chapel for the ceremony.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Now who didn’t see this coming. Drain that swamp!

https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardon-michele-fiore-nevada-fraud-cf56ef8b302b8111e47cf52d5a606d19