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Federal Official Stole to Support Gambling

INDIANA – As reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer: "The former treasurer of U.S. Rep. John Boehner's re-election fund pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing more than $600,000 in missing campaign contributions.

"Russell E. Roberts, 36, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati after federal prosecutors accused him of shifting campaign funds to his private accounts for nearly nine years. U.S. Attorney Gregory Lockhart said Roberts electronically withdrew a large portion of the money at gambling casinos in Indiana.

"Roberts pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen property and causing false reports to be filed with the Federal Elections Commission. He faces up to 15 years in prison.

"…When Roberts was confronted about the missing money, authorities say, he initially claimed a March 2001 flood destroyed computer records related to the funds. In a letter to the FEC in April, Boehner's lawyer said Roberts later admitted `he had been misappropriating committee funds to support a gambling habit.'…"

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