Federally indicted ‘scam PAC’ operator is still raising money for fake vets, EMS groups

Money continues to trickle into Robert Piaro’s political action committees, despite federal charges of fraud against Piaro for allegedly soliciting “donations” under the guise of supporting veterans, emergency responders and breast cancer research.

Piaro, 73, was arrested Aug. 17 in Wisconsin and released on a $2 million bond. Prosecutors said he “exploited these important causes and the good intentions of everyday citizens to steal millions of dollars in small donations.”

A Raw Story review of Federal Election Commission records shows that the Association for Emergency Responders & Firefighters PAC reported Tuesday that it took in $171 during the third quarter of 2023 and still had $6,819 of cash on hand.

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The US Veterans Assistance Foundation PAC reported taking in $45 with $14,475 cash on hand.

A third Piaro-led committee, Standing by Veterans PAC, hasn’t yet filed paperwork for the third quarter.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said he was looking into whether the third quarter contributions could be a violation of the terms of Piaro’s pretrial release.

The three PACs remain open and active, according to FEC records, which allows them to raise, spend and retain money.

The other PAC used for the alleged fraud is Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer PAC, terminated in 2020.

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An indictment in the Southern District of New York alleges that four PACs run by Piaro took in $28 million by lying to, or misleading, donors about the money being used to advocate for legislation, educate lawmakers and fund research.

Piaro’s lawyers did not immediately return a request for comment.

In 2019, the Center for Public Integrity investigated Piaro and Richard Zeitlin, who is also accused of fraud connected to telemarketing, for maintaining a network of federal PACs that raised almost no money for their stated political causes — but helped make telemarketers and political operatives wealthy.

Last week, Piaro’s lawyers filed an unopposed motion to allow him to spend the winter in Florida while awaiting trial. The filing said Piaro lost a leg while serving in Vietnam.

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“Mr. Piaro indicates that he (spends winters in Florida) at the suggestion of his medical providers, in order to help manage his arthritic pain,” the filing says. “He also indicates that the travel is necessary to avoid falling in the icy and snowy conditions prevalent in Wisconsin during the winter months. Prior to implementing this yearly travel to Florida, Mr. Piaro indicates that he had suffered several falls leading to concussions and similar related injuries. He has been traveling to Florida, each year for the past four years. Prior to that they would spend their winters in Texas to avoid the blistering and hazardous Wisconsin conditions.”

Zeitlin is in jail pending trial, having been deemed a flight risk.