(NewsGlobal.com)- The Black Lives Matter Political Action Committee is backing just one Democratic candidate for federal office during this election cycle, and she is now being charged with wire fraud.
The candidate, Karen Carter Peterson, was running for Congress out of the 2nd district in Louisiana, though she failed to advance during the primaries.
Fox News Digital reviewed federal records and found that in July of 2021, the Black Lives Matter PAC, which is an affiliated committee of the BLM Global Network Foundation, gave Peterson’s campaign in excess of $100,000 for independent expenditures.
In April of this year, Peterson resigned from her position on the Louisiana state Senate. When doing so, the former chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party cited her mental health as well as a gambling addiction.
This month, though, Peterson was charged with wire fraud (one count) due to allegations that she used party and campaign funds on various personal expenses. Court records show she’s being accused of routing the funds to outside companies and individuals and for also funding some personal expenses, which includes gambling.
The Louisiana Illuminator reported that the scheme Peterson concocted went on for seven years. She diverted state party and campaign cash to four companies and four individuals. Those people and companies cashed checks she had written them and then gave her back most of those funds.
In a press release sent on July 14, the Department of Justice said that Peterson filed “false and misleading” campaign finance reports that ultimately “mischaracterized expenditures as being for legitimate purposes related to her campaign or the holding of public office.”
The day that the DOJ sent out the press release, Peterson responded, apologizing on Twitter for what she had done. She tweeted:
“Today marks an important step in my life-long recovery as I continue to address my gambling addiction. I sincerely apologize for the impact from my compulsive behavior resulting from this addiction.
“I have made full repayment of funds used as a result of my addiction and I will continue to make amends. Staying true to the steps of my ongoing recovery, I have been forthright, honest and fully cooperative with the US Attorneys’ Office in their investigation.”
Peterson has a scheduled federal court date set for August 1. If she is convicted on the charges against her, the DOJ said she could face as much as 20 years in prison, along with three years of supervised release following that, and fines of up to $250,000.
But, Peterson’s attorney, Brian Capitelli, said last week that his client has already come to a plea agreement with the prosecutors in her case. There were no details released about what that plea agreement includes.
The whole debacle is really a stain on the Black Lives Matter PAC, which decided to only support Peterson and no other candidate for federal office this election cycle. Last year, they spent $35,000 to support Chi Osse for New York City Council.
