Beloved Nevada Wingnut Grifter Pleads Not Guilty To New Charges In Dead Cop Statue Scam
Beloved Nevada Wingnut Grifter Pleads Not Guilty To New Charges In Dead Cop Statue Scam
Michele Fiore, how we have missed thee.
Former Nevada Assemblywoman/Council woman/Justice of the Peace/State Treasurer candidate/Las Vegas Mayor pro-tempore/Cliven Bundy booster/star of her own sexxxy gun-toting pin-up calendar Michele Fiore pleaded not guilty on Monday to new wire fraud charges related to a charity fraud scheme she (allegedly!) perpetrated.
According to the Department of Justice, while she was a Las Vegas city councilwoman, Fiore solicited donations through her own PAC and a nonprofit she founded called A Bright Present Foundation to fund a statue of fallen Las Vegas police officer Alyn Beck … despite the fact that a private company had already agreed to fund the statue. Beck was killed 10 years ago in the line of duty by some far-right lunatics who had been hoping to start a revolution and overthrow the US government and who had also previously been associated with the Bundys.
Fiore stands accused of embezzling money from the fund in order to pay off her own political fundraising debts, pay her rent and, naturally, to throw her daughter the wedding of her dreams.
To be fair, it was her special day.
Among those Fiore is accused of scamming are the Laborers International Union 872 of Las Vegas, which represents construction workers and public service employees, and Republican Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo.
Fiore was initially indicted by a grand jury in July on four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with these two new charges added in August in a superseding indictment. She has pleaded innocent to all charges.
The Nevada Independent reports that new court documents released on Monday reveal that one of those Fiore is accused of defrauding is her former friend and co-councilwoman Victoria Seaman, who previously sued Fiore for creating a hostile work environment by violently assaulting her, “pulling, jerking, twisting, and breaking … Seaman’s finger in a violent manner.” You know, normal city council stuff.
They also reveal that the unidentified, unindicted co-conspirator referred to as Person A in the previous indictment is, in fact, Fiore’s daughter, Sheena Siegel. Fiore was previously accused of using more than $109,000 from her PAC to fund Siegel’s event-planning company.
To her credit and our collective great relief, Michele Fiore did not use any of the money she allegedly embezzled to shoot another pin-up calendar or to film a sequel to Siren, her 2002 vanity project movie.
Fiore’s trial starts on September 24, and she faces 20 years in prison for each charge if found guilty.
We have missed her, very much.
PREVIOUSLY ON WONKETTE!
"violently assaulting her, “pulling, jerking, twisting, and breaking … Seaman’s finger "
Whaaat? The old pull my finger game is now considered a violent assault?
Good, old-fashioned batshittery is so refreshing compared to what the average Republican now spews.