LOS ANGELES (CN) - Prominent Los Angeles trial lawyer Pierce O'Donnell allegedly organized a campaign donation scam by recruiting employees at his law firm to "donate" money to a presidential campaign, apparently that of another trial lawyer, John Edwards. O'Donnell is said to have then reimbursed the employees' donations, according to a federal indictment.
O'Donnell may have personally contributed $26,000, far more than the $2,000 legal limit. The scam, made of so-called "conduit contributions," works by concealing the true contributor. O'Donnell allegedly talked 13 people, or conduit contributors, into each giving the individual limit. Then he would write each contributor a check to pay for their contribution.
The indictment identifies the campaign as "EFP," which appears to be the Edwards for President campaign.
O'Donnell is scheduled to answer the 3 count indictment in August. He could face 12 years in prison.
Follow @@karinapdx
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines April 17, 2024 -
-
Contributor-Test-Post-2024-04-12 April 12, 2024 -
