'I plead guilty': Former Indiana GOP Sen. Brent Waltz admits role in straw donor scheme

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2022/04/11/former-state-sen-brent-waltz-admits-role-casino-straw-donor-scheme/ [login to see] /
Former state Sen. Brent Waltz admitted in federal court Monday that he participated in a scheme to funnel $40,500 in illegal contributions to his failed campaign for Congress in 2015.

Under an agreement with prosecutors, Waltz pleaded guilty to making and receiving conduit contributions and making false statements to the FBI. The plea agreement comes just one week before Waltz and John Keeler, another former lawmaker turned casino executive, were scheduled to go to trial.

Prosecutors say the illegal campaign contributions were fueled with cash from one of Indiana's largest casino operators, Centaur Gaming. To hide the true source of the contributions, the money was funneled through a Maryland political consultant under a sham consulting agreement. The consultant and Waltz then used that money to reimburse more than a dozen "straw donors" who contributed to Waltz's campaign for U.S. House, according to prosecutors.