Rural Nevada judge who once ran for state treasurer indicted on federal fraud charges

 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada justice of the peace who ran unsuccessfully for state treasurer in 2022 has been indicted on federal charges alleging she used money donated for a memorial to slain police officers for political campaign costs, rent and her daughter’s wedding.

The five-count indictment against Michele Fiore, 53, a justice of the peace in rural Pahrump and a state Republican National Committee member, was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas.

In a statement Wednesday, the former Nevada state Assembly and Las Vegas City Council member said she knew for years that the FBI was investigating but learned of her indictment through media reports. Fiore said the process “profoundly” affected her and her family, friends and constituents.

“I hold my oath of office sacred and have consistently strived to serve my community with integrity and to the best of my ability,” Fiore said. “Now that I have been accused, I eagerly await my opportunity to address these charges in court.”

Fiore is accused of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, crimes that each carry a possible penalty of 20 years in prison. Court records did not reflect when Fiore was due for an initial court appearance. Her attorney, George Kelesis, declined to comment.

The grand jury was told that when Fiore was a city council member from 2017 to 2022, she promised to use 100% of the contributions she solicited to erect a statue in a city park to honor two Las Vegas police officers who were killed on duty in June 2014.

“Fiore did not use any of the tens of thousands of dollars in charitable donations for the statue, and instead converted the money to her personal use,” prosecutors said in a news release.

The indictment refers to an unnamed co-conspirator who is related to Fiore and traces checks that prosecutors said diverted money to pay Fiore’s political fundraising bills, rent and daughter’s wedding.

Fiore served one term as a Republican in the state Legislature from 2012 to 2016, where she was as an outspoken supporter of gun rights and posed with guns and her family for Christmas cards in 2015.

She gained national attention backing rancher Cliven Bundy and his family during armed standoffs between militiamen and federal law enforcement officers in Bunkerville, Nevada, in 2014, and at a national wildlife refuge in Oregon in 2016.

In 2022, Fiore ran as a Republican but lost the statewide race for state treasurer to Democrat Zach Conine.

Fiore was appointed by Nye County lawmakers in December 2022 to serve as one of two local justices of the peace in rural Pahrump, an hour’s drive west of Las Vegas.

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Source: AP News