Kinde Durkee, the California campaign treasurer arrested in September, will plead guilty later this week to defrauding her clients out of millions of dollars, according to multiple reports.
According to a court filing made Tuesday by federal prosecutors, Durkee scammed at least 50 candidates, campaigns, and political representatives out of a total of more than $7 million over a decade.
Durkee was arrested last year for allegedly using her clients’ funds on personal expenses like ice cream, cosmetics and her mother’s nursing home bill. Sources familiar with the case told Politico that Durkee will plead guilty to at least five counts of fraud and be sentenced to 11 to 14 years in prison in what has become the biggest embezzlement case in U.S. election history.
Court records indicate that a preliminary hearing hearing in Durkee’s case has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday. The case has been pushed back several times so federal authorities and the defense team had more time to examine the evidence in the case.
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