FBI arrests California Democrat on wire fraud, money laundering, and other charges

Former California Democratic Rep. T.J. Cox has been arrested by the FBI on 28 counts related to financial fraud, Politico reports.

Cox was charged with “15 counts of wire fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, one count of financial institution fraud, and one count of campaign contribution fraud.”

According to the Department of Justice, Cox perpetrated multiple fraud schemes targeting companies he was affiliated with and their clients and vendors. Cox allegedly created unauthorized off-the-books bank accounts and diverted client and company money into those accounts through false representations, pretenses and promises.

Prosecutors accused Cox of illicitly obtaining over $1.7 million in diverted client payments and company loans and investments he solicited and then stole.

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If convicted, Cox faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for wire fraud and money laundering, according to the Justice Department.

Cox came to Congress in 2018 but was voted out in 2020, losing to California Republican Rep. David Valadao.