A Nevada Republican who has previously been described as the “Lady Trump” has been convicted of fraud after stealing donations intended for a fallen police officer’s memorial to spend on rent and plastic surgery.
Former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore was convicted on federal fraud charges on Thursday after a Nevada court found her guilty on six counts of wire fraud and one additional count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Federal prosecutors accused Fiore of soliciting donations to her PAC for the construction of a statue to commemorate Alyn Beck, a Las Vegas police officer killed in the line of duty in 2014, while she served as a councilwoman between 2019 and 2020.
Instead, Fiore used the donations for personal gain, spending it on rent, plastic surgery, and one of her daughter’s weddings, according to The Nevada Independent.
Las Vegas City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Michele Fiore speaks during a Las Vegas City Council meeting held amid the coronavirus pandemic at Las Vegas City Hall on May 20, 2020
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Prosecutor Alexander Gottfried said in his closing argument: “She never cared about Officer Beck’s memory or his sacrifice. She took those donors’ money. She took it from people who were trying to do a good thing.”
The trial reportedly ended after testimony from over a dozen witnesses, including Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo. The governor testified that Fiore had asked him to contribute to the donations while he was Clark County sheriff, prompting him to send a $5,000 check to Fiore’s PAC.
According to an FBI agent who testified, shortly after that donation, the exact same amount of money was transferred to Fiore’s daughter’s account, which was later used to cover Fiore’s rent.
Fiore’s lawyer said after the verdict that they will be exploring any possible appeal options, but are now focused on sentencing. The maximum sentence for each individual charge is 20 years in prison.
Newsweek contacted Fiore’s team for additional comment on the situation via email.
Fiore rose to prominence after being styling as “Lady Trump” in Nevada local politics, making an unsuccessful bid to be the state’s governor in 2021 on a staunch pro-Trump platform, which included pledges on dismantling vaccine mandates, critical-race theory and voter fraud.
“I’ve spent my whole life fighting the establishment,” Fiore said in a political ad for her campaign. “We need outsiders, fighters, not the same old boring, moderate, compromised blue-blazer politicians.”
Fiore received widespread press coverage for publicly supporting rancher Cliven Bundy during an armed standoff between Bundy supporters and federal agents in Nevada in 2014.
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