Current:Home > MarketsNevada judge used fallen-officer donations to pay for daughter's wedding, prosecutors say -Bright Future Finance
Nevada judge used fallen-officer donations to pay for daughter's wedding, prosecutors say
View
Date:2025-04-18 19:10:55
An ex Las Vegas councilwoman, former assembly member and current Nevada judge has been federally charged in connection with an alleged charity fraud scheme in which prosecutors say she pocketed more than $70,000 in donations intended to honor fallen officers.
Michele Fiore, 53, is charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, The U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday.
According to the indictment handed down on Tuesday in Las Vegas, Fiore, who lives in the town of Pahrump, "solicited donations to build a statue honoring Las Vegas police officers" killed in the line of duty as a then-Las Vegas city councilwoman.
Pahrump is a small town not far from the California state line, at the southernmost tip of Nye County where Fiore is a justice of the peace.
Fiore is "a conservative firebrand and fervent gun-rights advocate who published a calendar of herself pictured with various high-powered firearms", the Reno Gazette Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network reported. As an assemblywoman in 2015 she introduced a campus carry bill that would have allowed concealed carry permit holders to have guns on college campuses, at K-12 schools and at day care facilities.
Funds raised were to create statue to honor fallen officers
Fiore allegedly promised donors “100% of the contributions” would be used to create the statue, the indictment alleges.
But prosecutors said Fiore did not use 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 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," officials wrote in the release.
Federal court papers obtained by USA TODAY show Fiore is represented by Las Vegas-based attorney George P. Kelesis and was slated to enter a plea on the charges Friday.
USA TODAY has reached out to Kelesis.
'A horrific scene':Triple decapitation: Man accused of killing parents, family dog in California
Michele Fiore faces up to 20 years in prison on each felony count
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office is investigating the case which remained open Thursday, officials said.
If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on each criminal felony count.
Contributing: Jeffrey Meehan with the Reno Gazette Journal.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
veryGood! (82826)
Related
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- Metal detectorist looking for World War II relics instead finds medieval papal artifact
- Amid warnings of online extremism, Air Force Academy monitors incidents | The Excerpt
- Mom drives across states to watch daughters in March Madness games for UNC, Tennessee
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- MLB launches investigation into Shohei Ohtani interpreter Ippei Mizuhara following gambling reports
- Plan to recover holy grail of shipwrecks holding billions of dollars in treasure is approved over 3 centuries after ship sank
- Amid warnings of online extremism, Air Force Academy monitors incidents | The Excerpt
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- School bus with 44 pre-K students, 11 adults rolls over in Texas; two dead
Ranking
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Jackpots: A look at the top 10 Mega Millions, Powerball winners of all time
- Kevin Bacon to attend prom at high school where 'Footloose' was filmed for 40th anniversary
- These Teeth Whitening Deals from Amazon's Spring Sale Will Make You Smile Nonstop
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- North Carolina’s highest court won’t revive challenge to remove Civil War governor’s monument
- Why Mauricio Umansky Doesn't Want to Ask Kyle Richards About Morgan Wade
- Chrysler to recall over 280,000 vehicles, including some Dodge models, over airbag issue
Recommendation
South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
Every 'Ghostbusters' movie, ranked from worst to best (including the new 'Frozen Empire')
Kate Middleton Is Receiving Preventative Chemotherapy: Here's What That Means
Airport exec dies after shootout with feds at Arkansas home; affidavit alleges illegal gun sales
San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
Ariana Grande, Josh Peck and the problem with punishing child stars
Mega Millions jackpot approaching $1 billion: 5 prior times lottery game has made billionaires
Fired high school coach says she was told to watch how much she played 'brown kids'
Like
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Plan to recover holy grail of shipwrecks holding billions of dollars in treasure is approved over 3 centuries after ship sank
- Man facing gun and drug charges fatally shot outside Connecticut courthouse. Lawyer calls it a ‘hit’