Alexandria Woman Stole $840k from Campaigns, Faces Up to 5 Years

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Katherine Margaret Buchanan, a 59-year-old Alexandria woman, has pleaded guilty to embezzling over $840,000 from three federal candidates’ campaigns and evading taxes.

According to court documents, Buchanan worked as a political campaign compliance consultant for more than 20 years for various campaigns and political action committees (PACs). She held the title of Treasurer for her clients, but instead of safeguarding their funds, she used the access to embezzle contributed money for her own personal use.

Buchanan’s scheme continued from 2020 to 2024, during which she used campaign or PAC funds to pay her personal credit cards, make personal purchases, and transfer funds into her personal bank accounts. The embezzled funds were spent on lavish personal expenses, including dining, landscaping, aesthetic services, a Peloton exercise bike, clothing, airline tickets to Italy, concert tickets, and suites.

Furthermore, Buchanan under-reported her income from 2017 to 2022 to the Internal Revenue Service, resulting in a total loss of unpaid federal taxes of $671,200. Her actions have left the victims – three federal candidates and their respective campaign committees and PACs – financially drained.

The maximum penalty for each charge is up to five years in prison, but actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum. Buchanan is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8 and will face a federal district court judge who will determine her sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Katherine Margaret Buchanan’s guilty plea was announced by Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case. The full press release and related court documents can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia websites.