May 17, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Pro-Trump scam PAC operator pleads guilty to wire fraud

Rebecca Falconer

Supporters cheer as US President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks at a Keep America Great rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 21, — Supporters cheer then- President Trump at a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, in February 2020. Photo : Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

A man behind a pro-Trump scam PAC has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud after being accused of bilking hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors, court filings released Monday show.

The big picture: James Kyle Bell also "admitted to deceiving the government" out of over $1 million in fake Paycheck Protection Program loans designed to assist employers and prevent staff layoffs during the pandemic, per the Daily Beast.

Prosecutors say Bell also set up an allegedly fraudulent pro-Biden group called the Best Days Lie Ahead Committee, which raised another $100,000, but those donations were returned when the portal was bounced, the Daily Beast reported.

What's next: Prosecutors advised Bell’s lawyer in a letter that they're seeking a prison sentence of 78 to 97 months for him and a $25,000-$250,000 fine, according to the Daily Beast.

Add Axios on Google

Pro-Trump scam PAC operator pleads guilty to wire fraud

What to read next