{"id":49977,"date":"2022-06-03T10:46:28","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T17:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=49977"},"modified":"2022-06-03T10:46:28","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T17:46:28","slug":"operator-of-seven-pacs-admits-making-false-statements-to-fec-about-expenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=49977","title":{"rendered":"Operator of Seven PACs Admits Making False Statements to FEC About Expenses"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON D.C.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"\"The former owner and operator of seven political action committees (PACs) pleaded guilty Friday to using the money for his consulting company, according to federal officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tyler D. Whitney also admitted to making a false statement in connection with PAC expenses reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).<\/span><\/p>\n

According to court documents, Whitney, 33, of Austin, Texas, formed and operated the PACs beginning in mid-2012. <\/span><\/p>\n

Whitney also owned and operated Amagi Strategies, a consulting corporation, and Amagi Imports, an affiliated business. <\/span><\/p>\n

Between 2012 and 2018, Whitney operated each of the PACs by doing the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Creating and managing a PAC-related website<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Purchasing email lists of potential contributors<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Using vendors that provided blast email services to send mass emails to potential contributor<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Using urgent language in email solicitations to potential donors for contributions<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Representing to potential donors that contributions would be used to support or oppose a particular candidate or cause via \u201cvoter outreach\u201d and \u201cadvertising.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \"\"During this time, Whitney spent a small portion of the donated funds to benefit the political candidates or causes the PACs represented they were going to support or oppose. <\/span><\/p>\n

    He also transferred a large portion of the donated funds from the PACs to his consulting company, Amagi Strategies, or withdrew the money as cash. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Whitney used funds in bank accounts for Amagi Strategies to either pay himself, pay for personal expenses, or pay for services (such as website management, email list purchases or rentals, and blast email services) to raise additional funds via email solicitations. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Whitney filed and caused to be filed FEC reports that, among other things, were false as to amounts, dates, and descriptions of expenditures and disbursements by the PACs, including payments made to Amagi Imports.<\/span><\/p>\n

    For instance, in July 2016, Whitney transferred $10,000 from one of his PACs to Amagi Strategies. <\/span><\/p>\n

    On the same day, Whitney transferred $9,000 from Amagi Strategies to Amagi Imports and then $8,787.73 from Amagi Imports to an international shipping company. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Whitney\u2019s PAC did not report this $10,000 payment on its FEC reports for 2016 and 2017. <\/span><\/p>\n

    However, in January 2018, Whitney caused the PAC\u2019s treasurer to file an amended FEC quarterly report for the PAC that falsely disclosed the $10,000 payment as \u201cPAC Management Fees.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Whitney pleaded guilty to making a false statement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26 and faces up to five years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    WASHINGTON D.C. The former owner and operator of seven political action committees (PACs) pleaded guilty Friday to using the money for his consulting company, according to federal officials. Tyler D. Whitney also…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nOperator of Seven PACs Admits Making False Statements to FEC About Expenses<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"WASHINGTON D.C. 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