NEW YORK
A former mayor of Dunkirk, New York plead guilty Wednesday to stealing campaign contributions for his own personal benefit, according to officials.
Richard L. Frey, 85, plead guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara of the Western District of New York. Sentencing is scheduled for May 11, 2017.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, from at least January 2003 through June 2012, Frey solicited and received several large campaign contributions from a number of area businesses and businesspeople and then, instead of depositing the donations into his campaign accounts, either cashed the checks for his personal use or deposited the checks into his personal bank accounts.
Frey admitted that he concealed the existence of these larger campaign contributions by not reporting or disclosing them on his campaign disclosure reports, as was required of local candidates for public office.