The treasurer for an unsuccessful Brooklyn borough president candidate, Erlene King, is facing federal charges for a failed straw donor scheme to defraud the city Campaign Finance Board. King, who worked on Democrat Anthony Jones’ 2021 primary campaign, is accused of submitting $25,000 in straw donations and falsifying records to obtain $400,000 in matching funds. The Campaign Finance Board uncovered the scheme and denied the funds. King pleaded not guilty to wire fraud charges but is in plea negotiations.
King allegedly used money-transfer apps to send funds to individuals, who then made $175 donations to the campaign. The federal government outlined several transactions as evidence of the scheme. Jones, the candidate, was not charged with a crime and has significant outstanding debt from the campaign. Jones expressed confusion over the denial of matching funds, attributing it to issues with signature verification.
The case is ongoing, with King set to return to court in October. Her lawyer referred to the allegations as “old news” from the 2021 campaign. Jones, who garnered a small percentage of the vote in the primary, ran on the Rent is 2 Damn High line in the general election. The Campaign Finance Board denied matching funds due to non-credible signatures on affirmation statements.
King maintains her innocence, arguing that any issues with signatures were a result of the pandemic’s impact on donors. The case highlights the complex financial regulations governing campaign fundraising and the consequences of attempting to manipulate the system for personal gain.
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