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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums'Keep America Great Committee' Founder Admits Swindling Trump Fans
James Kyle Bell, whose Keep America Great Committee was outed by The Daily Beast earlier this year for masquerading as an official Trump campaign PAC and defrauding Trump supporters into donating at least $500,000, has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, according to federal court filings made public on Monday.
The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, but prosecutors stated in a letter to Bells lawyer that they will seek between 78 and 97 months for Bell, along with a fine of $25,000 to $250,000. As part of his plea, Bell also admitted to deceiving the government out of more than $1 million in phony Paycheck Protection Program loans intended to help employers avoid laying off staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to his Trumpian chicanery, Bell also created a phony pro-Biden group called the Best Days Lie Ahead committee, which prosecutors say fraudulently took in some $100,000 in donations but returned them all after the organization was bounced from its online fundraising portal.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/keep-america-great-committee-founder-james-kyle-bell-pleads-guilty-to-swindling-trump-donors?ref=home
Blue Owl
(50,383 posts)niyad
(113,318 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,563 posts)Duzy!
msfiddlestix
(7,282 posts)the government of over a million dollars in phony Paycheck Protection program loans, which he is apparently not required to pay back to the government in full but only a $25,000 dollar to $250,000 at best?
I just don't understand that kind of agreement/assessment.
chowder66
(9,070 posts)Prof. Toru Tanaka
(1,962 posts)He should have to return every cent he borrowed on top of paying the fine.
marble falls
(57,097 posts)chowder66
(9,070 posts)Including $800k+.
onethatcares
(16,168 posts)fine him 6 million dollars and give him 10 solid years in Lewisburg Federal Pen.... None of this split the take with the house bullshit. Take everything he has and use the funds against the fine.
Otherwise it's a win for the jackass.
11 Bravo
(23,926 posts)Traildogbob
(8,744 posts)Fuck Trump fans, and their feelings. Just fuck em all.
Cat food is too good. Out of date by 3 weeks 7/11 sushi. Fuck em. Covid death is too good for em. Out of fucks here.
Initech
(100,079 posts)ffr
(22,670 posts)The more money you drain from your loyal anti-American cult followers, the less they'll have tomorrow.
Swindlers will swindle. Grifters will grift. Con-artists will con. If you were born yesterday, rest assured we told you so.
uponit7771
(90,344 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,563 posts)They have proved that they will fall for just about anything.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,004 posts)It's all wasted money either way.
monkeyman1
(5,109 posts)nuxvomica
(12,426 posts)But after all they've been groomed for this, for years.