A former candidate in previous California congressional races was sentenced to federal prison for embezzling nearly $250,000 from his political campaign and spending the money on personal expenses, including trips to Las Vegas.
Omar Navarro, who challenge Rep. Maxine Waters for California’s 43rd Congressional District from 2016 and 22, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud last June.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has said after raising millions of dollars during the four election cycles, the 37-year-old defrauded his campaign committee by pocketing some of the money.
Although he knew federal law strictly prohibits the personal use of campaign funds, Navarro funneled campaign cash to himself between July 2017 and February 2021, the DOJ said.
“As a congressional candidate, Navarro knew and understood that campaign funds raised by him and others for his campaign were restricted to supporting his election efforts and could not be used for his own personal use or enjoyment,” the Justice Department said in a statement.
Among $1 million he had raised for his congressional campaign, Navarro used some of the money for personal use and conspired with his mother to embezzle between 2018 and 2020, according to the Justice Department.
In some cases, Navarro transferred campaign checks to his mother, Dora Asghari, and a friend, Zacharias Diamantides-Abel, lying that the payments were for campaign work. Asghari and Abel then sent that money back to Navarro after taking their cut-back, the DOJ said.
Other personal expenses that the campaign funds paid for included trips to Las Vegas, Nintendo Switch video games, a private investigator and personal criminal defense lawyers.
Navarro stole $268,932 in total from his campaign funds without reporting to Federal Election Commission, the DOJ said.
Navarro’s mother and friends both pleaded guilty to their individual charges.
A restitution hearing for Navarro will be scheduled later, the DOJ added.
Allison Craig is a passionate sports writer and analyst with a deep love for game strategies, player performances, and the latest trends in the sports world. With years of experience covering football, basketball, tennis, and more, she delivers insightful analysis and engaging content for sports enthusiasts.
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