Former defense contractors indicted for illegal donations to Senator Susan Collins

Three former protection contractors had been indicted for unlawful marketing campaign contributions to Senator Susan Collins.
AP

Three former authorities protection contractors had been indicted Thursday for allegedly making unlawful donations for Sen. Susan Collins‘ 2020 reelection bid.

The Honolulu-based executives allegedly fashioned a shell firm and used members of the family to steer cash into the Maine Republican’s political motion committee. They then reimbursed their cohorts for the donations utilizing authorities contractor funds, federal prosecutors mentioned in a press launch.

The feds didn't specify Collins by identify, however a 2021 Axios report discovered that the FBI was investigating Navatek CEO Martin Kao for an unlawful $150,000 donation to the veteran lawmaker.

Kao, 48, Clifford Chen, 48, and Lawrence “Kahele” Lum Kee, 52 had been all named as suspects by the Division of Justice, and confronted a number of felony expenses together with conspiracy to defraud america and making conduit political contributions. Federal contractors are barred from donating to federal political committees.

They confronted 5 years in jail if convicted, along with a $250,000 high quality on every depend. Kao confronted further expenses of creating false statements to the Federal Election Committee.

“The marketing campaign had completely no data of any of the allegations in opposition to Mr. Kao or his associates till a search warrant was reported within the press,” Collins’ representatives instructed Axios.

Collins, 69, beat again her Democratic challenger by a wholesome margin to win her fifth time period in 2020 — whilst Maine residents handily voted to elect President Joe Biden.