JOHN MINCHILLO / AP
U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot s (R-OH) former campaign manager pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Friday to charges he embezzled more than $1.4 million from Chabot s congressional campaign.
Jamie Schwartz faces a maximum of up to 20 years in prison on each count of wire fraud and falsification of records. The plea agreement recommends no more than 32 months behind bars. He also must pay the $1.4 million back.
The 41-year-old worked for Chabot from at least 2011-2019.
Court records allege that while acting as the de facto campaign treasurer he wrote checks to his companies - Fountain Square Group LLC and Prime Media LLC - and himself out of campaign accounts.
A former campaign manager for a veteran member of Congress pleaded guilty Friday to two federal counts in a case alleging he stole more than $1.4 million from the campaign. Prosecutors have agreed not to seek a prison sentence longer than 32 months for Jamie Schwartz, 41, on the charges of wire fraud and falsification of records. “The campaign was deeply disappointed to learn the scale of Mr. Schwartz’s crimes and is grateful to all the officials involved for bringing this matter to its appropriate resolution," said Megan Sowards Newton, attorney for Chabot for Congress, adding that the campaign will continue working with the Federal Election Commission to correct any inaccurate filings that were made.
Former Chabot campaign consultant pleads guilty to federal fraud charges
Feds: Consultant embezzled $1.4M from campaign
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Leigh Taylor
Congressman Steve Chabot speaks during a District 1 debate between himself and Aftab Pureval at the Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre on Wednesday, October 24, 2018.
and last updated 2021-05-28 13:07:52-04
CINCINNATI â A political consultant and longtime campaign aide to Rep. Steve Chabot pleaded guilty Friday to federal wire fraud and falsification of records charges after prosecutors say he embezzled more than $1.4 million from Chabot s Congressional campaign.
An April 27 filing against 41-year-old James R. Schwartz II detailed an attempt to embezzle from âCongressional Campaign A between 2011 and 2019.
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John Minchillo / AP
The news this week that Rep. Steve Chabot s long-time political strategist and campaign manager Jamie Schwartz was charged by the feds with embezzling $1.4 million from Chabot s campaign fund was a great big, heaping helping of irony, slathered in a glaze of hypocrisy.
Chabot, who has spent all but two of the past 24 years representing Ohio s 1st Congressional District, hasn t had squat to say about this situation, speaking instead through his lawyer.
What he is feeling today; I have no idea. (He won t call me back.) What he ought to be feeling is ashamed of himself and his campaign organization.