A mainstay conservative candidate on native election ballots for years might have to finish his political aspirations for good after putting a cope with federal prosecutors over fraud.
Omar Navarro, a failed four-time congressional candidate accused of funneling hundreds of {dollars} of marketing campaign funds for his private use, pleaded responsible Wednesday to a single rely of wire fraud as a part of a plea settlement.
Navarro didn’t win a congressional seat in a number of campaigns in opposition to Rep. Maxine Waters, however drew the eye of high-profile Republican and right-wing political figures like Roger Stone, former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Alex Jones, serving to him increase a whole bunch of hundreds of {dollars} in his unsuccessful campaigns.
However the Republican candidate in 2023 was charged with 43 counts of wire fraud and misusing marketing campaign funds, funneling tens of hundreds of {dollars} for his private use by way of his mom and a detailed buddy.
As a part of his cope with prosecutors, Navarro agreed to plead responsible to a single rely of wire fraud, a felony, which forfeits his proper to vote or maintain workplace, placing an finish to a controversial political profession the place he managed to rake in a whole bunch of hundreds of {dollars} in political donations and achieve the assist of figures like Michael Flynn and Herman Cain with out ever successful an election.
David Evans, Navarro’s lawyer, declined to remark.
Based on the preliminary criticism, Navarro had no different supply of revenue apart from marketing campaign funds, however between Jan. 2018 and July 2020, prosecutors allege he deposited greater than $100,000 in money to his private accounts.
Investigators discovered that Navarro’s mom, Dora Asghari, 59, and his buddy, Zacharias Diamantides-Abel, 34, would typically money marketing campaign funds. When checks have been deposited into their financial institution accounts, they typically withdrew the cash shortly to share the cash with Navarro.
Federal prosecutors alleged Navarro used cash from marketing campaign donations for journeys to Las Vegas, wine nation, and to pay for his authorized protection in a 2020 stalking case.
Based on the preliminary criticism, Diamantides-Abel and Asghari acquired $49,260 and $58,625 respectively, from Navarro’s failed campaigns between Dec. 2017 and June 2020.
On Wednesday, Asghari pleaded responsible to mendacity to the FBI throughout their investigation. Diamantides-Abel has pleaded responsible to at least one rely of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each will likely be sentenced at future dates.
However Navarro’s mom and buddy weren’t his solely avenues for cashing in donated funds. Federal prosecutors allege Navarro arrange a sham charity, referred to as the United Latino Basis, to embezzle cash for his private use.
He gained consideration in 2016 when he ran in opposition to Waters, then once more in 2018, 2020 and 2022. Regardless of the notoriety, he persistently acquired lower than 25% of the vote within the elections.
Navarro has additionally been an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, and has promoted conspiracy theories on his social media accounts.
In 2020, Navarro posted on Twitter the slogan of the QAnon conspiracy, and on social media promoted Pizzagate, the conspiracy {that a} Washington D.C. pizza store was concerned within the sexual trafficking of youngsters. That conspiracy idea finally led to a capturing.
Earlier this month, Navarro took to social media to say the fees in opposition to him have been politically motivated.
“I severely need assistance,” he posted on X. “I don’t have connections or anybody who will help. This entire case is politically motivated. My solely crime is standing up in opposition to [Maxine Waters] and operating for congress.”
This isn’t the primary time Navarro has discovered himself in authorized bother, together with his authorized woes coinciding together with his runs for workplace.
In 2016, he was sentenced in Orange County to a day in jail and 18 months probation for inserting a monitoring gadget on his estranged spouse’s automobile.
In 2017, he resigned as a Torrance site visitors commissioner after video confirmed him within the again seat of a automobile whereas the motive force and one other passenger pepper-sprayed individuals at a pro-sanctuary cities rally in Cudahy.
In 2018, he was approached by the FBI after he posted a faux letter claiming that Waters wished to resettle Somali refugees in her Los Angeles district.
In 2019, he was arrested after he was noticed exterior his ex-girlfriend’s home, violating a restraining order she had obtained in opposition to him.
