TEXAS
A California man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Texas to participating in a scheme to solicit $3.9 million in contributions to two political action committees (PACs), according to officials.
The money raised was based on false and misleading representations that the funds would be used to support presidential candidates during and after the 2016 election cycle.
According to court documents, from 2016 through at least April 2017, Matthew Nelson Tunstall, 35, of Los Angeles, together with co-conspirators, operated two PACs – Liberty Action Group PAC and Progressive Priorities PAC.
The two PACs solicited contributions from the public via robocalls and television, radio, and internet advertisements, among other means.
The two PACs stated that the contributions would support the presidential nominees of the two major political parties.
Instead, Tunstall and his co-conspirators used the funds to enrich themselves and fund fraudulent solicitations. Specifically, Tunstall admitted that the two PACs raised about $3.9 million in contributions during the 2016 election cycle and subsequent months.
Additionally, to conceal the origin and nature of the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme, Tunstall and his co-conspirators instructed a third-party vendor to withdraw from the two PACs about $353,000 over the amount owed to the vendor for services rendered.
Then, they deposited the excess payments into accounts held by shell companies they controlled.
Tunstall pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, cause the PACs to make false statements to the Federal Election Commission, and one count of money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
Robert Reyes and Kyle Davies – co-conspirators who previously pleaded guilty to their involvement in the fraudulent political solicitation scheme – will be sentenced later.
Trial Attorneys Michael N. Lang and Celia Choy of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.