‘Scam PAC’ treasurer admits to deceiving hundreds of thousands of political donors

A Wisconsin man faces up to 25 years in prison after admitting Friday that he engaged in a multiyear, nationwide telemarketing scheme that defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors through false and misleading statements – to the tune of millions of dollars.

Robert Piaro, 74, pleaded guilty to a count of telemarketing wire fraud after authorities brought down his fraudulent operation as treasurer and operator of four “scam PACs”, according to federal prosecutors.

The indictment alleges Piaro, of Fredonia, Wisconsin, from 2017 through at least 2022, operated four PACS: Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer, the Association for Emergency Responders & Firefighters, the US Veterans Assistance Foundation, and Standing By Veterans.

They went on to raise millions of dollars through Piaro’s false and misleading statements, prosecutors said.

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“Robert Piaro deceived hundreds of thousands of donors through false statements and misrepresentations about how contributions to his PACs would be spent,” Edward Y. Kim, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement. “Piaro’s fraudulent actions not only undermined the trust of donors but also exploited their interest in supporting certain causes for his own personal gain.”

Piaro is set to be sentenced on April 14 by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who accepted his guilty plea Friday.

So-called scam PACs operate by deceiving donors by fundraising “under the pretext that they are supporting a specific candidate or issue-based cause, like fighting cancer or supporting veterans,” according to OpenSecrets.org. “In turn, this money is used to engage in more fundraising, setting in motion a vicious cycle of political swindling, often hurting elderly constituents,” the report said.

Kim added that Piaro's guilty plea "highlights this Office’s dedication to holding accountable those who misuse political organizations to defraud and mislead the public.”