Former Judge Pleads Guilty to Election Scheme
A former Municipal Court Senior Judge has pleaded guilty to causing false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in connection with a 2012 congressional primary election in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jimmie Moore, 66, of Philadelphia, admitted to engaging in a falsification scheme involving payments to his 2012 campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination for member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to court documents, Moore withdrew from the primary election in February 2012 pursuant to an agreement with his opponent, who promised to pay Moore $90,000 from his campaign funds to be used to repay Moore’s campaign debts. Those payments were made to Moore’s campaign manager, Carolyn Cavaness, 34, of Philadelphia, and to an entity created for the purpose of repaying the Moore campaign’s outstanding debts to its vendors.
Moore knowingly and intentionally caused his campaign committee to file false reports with the FEC, which did not disclose the funds received from his opponent’s campaign committee, did not mention the companies of the political consultants through which the payments were routed, and falsely listed the same debts owed by Moore’s campaign that had been disclosed on earlier reports, despite the fact that those debts had been repaid using funds paid to Moore by his opponent’s campaign committee.
The scheme was uncovered by investigators and Moore pleaded guilty to causing false statements to the FEC. His campaign manager, Carolyn Cavaness, previously pleaded guilty to a similar charge.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gibson of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Jonathan Kravis of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Moore is currently awaiting sentencing. The exact date of sentencing was not provided in the press release. The former judge pleaded guilty to causing false statements to the Federal Election Commission, a crime that carries significant penalties.
The case highlights the importance of transparency in election finance and the consequences of attempting to conceal the truth from regulatory agencies.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Public CorruptionPublic CorruptionPublic CorruptionPublic Corruption