U.S.

Department of Justice

Loretta E. Lynch United States Attorney Eastern District of New York

271 Cadman Plaza East Brooklyn, New York 11201

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robert Nardoza United States Attorneys Office (718) 254-6323

April 17, 2014

PRESS RELEASE
HOTEL MAGNATE SANT SINGH CHATWAL PLEADS GUILTY TO SCHEME TO EVADE FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS, AND TO WITNESS TAMPERING Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, Sant Singh Chatwal pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Election Act) by making more than $180,000 in federal campaign donations to three candidates 1 through straw donors who were reimbursed, and to witness tampering. When sentenced, Chatwal faces up to 25 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement with the government, Chatwal agreed to forfeit $1 million to the United States. The guilty plea was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; David A. ONeil, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice; George Venizelos, Assistant Director-inCharge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Richard Weber, Chief, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The Election Acts spending limits are in place to limit financial influence in federal elections and to ensure transparency as to the identity of donors. Chatwal sought to buy access to power through unlimited and illegal campaign contributions, funneling money from the shadows through straw donors. Chatwals scheme sought to subvert the very purpose of the Election Act, stated United States Attorney Lynch. Chatwal then rolled the dice to stymie the

There is no allegation that the candidates participated in, or were aware of, Chatwals scheme.

governments investigation, thinking he could corruptly convince witnesses to his federal election crimes to stay silent. That gamble did not pay off. Todays conviction sends a clear message that this office is committed to vigorously investigating and prosecuting individuals who are responsible for committing crimes in connection with federal campaign donations and witness tampering. Chatwal admitted that he used straw donors to secretly funnel money to political campaigns so that he could gain access to the politicians, and he coerced another person to hide his crime, said Acting Assistant Attorney General ONeil. Chatwal went to great lengths to undermine both election laws and our system of justice. Todays guilty plea shows our vigilance and determination to prosecute those who damage the integrity of elections by masking the true sources of campaign contributions. FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Venizelos stated, Attempting to buy elections through illegal campaign contributions is unacceptable. It is also illegal. Americans rightfully expect that elections will be free and fair. The FBI will continue investigating every case of abuse, wherever we find it. Mr. Chatwal admitted his actions were designed to circumvent the Election Act, said Chief Weber, IRS Criminal Investigation. IRS-CIs ability to adapt our financial investigative skills to cases where they are needed uniquely equips our agents to defend and uphold Americas trust in the fairness of the electoral process. The Election Act limits the amount and source of money that can be contributed to a federal candidate or to an individual candidates political campaign committee and multicandidate political campaign committees, commonly referred to as political action committees (PACs). For example, in 2008, the Election Act limited primary and general election campaign contributions in a calendar year to $2,300 per campaign, for a total of $4,600, from any one individual to any one candidate. In 2010, the Election Act limited primary and general election campaign contributions in a calendar year to $2,400 per campaign, for a total of $4,800, from any one individual to any one candidate. The Election Act also prohibits making a campaign contribution in the name of another person, including giving funds to a straw donor, or a conduit, for the purpose of having the straw donor pass the funds to a federal candidate as the straw donors own contribution. According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Chatwal operated several businesses, including restaurants, hotels, and a hotel management company. From 2007 to 2011, Chatwal used his employees, business associates, and contractors who performed work on his hotels (the Chatwal Associates), to solicit campaign contributions on Chatwals behalf in support of various candidates for federal office and PACs, collect these contributions, and pay reimbursements for these contributions, in violation of the Election Act. Chatwal and the Chatwal Associates induced straw donors to make these campaign contributions, promising them that they would be reimbursed. Chatwal orchestrated a scheme to make approximately $188,000 in campaign contributions to three candidates for federal office via straw donors, and he often arranged for the straw donors to be reimbursed through the Chatwal Associates, ultimately paying for the reimbursed contributions with funds belonging to Chatwal or one of Chatwals companies.

The evidence against Chatwal includes an October 2010 recorded conversation between Chatwal and a business associate who became an informant, in which Chatwal underscored his view as to the importance of political campaign contributions, stating that without campaign contributions, nobody will even talk to you. . . . Thats the only way to buy them, get into the system. . . . What, what else is there? Thats the only thing. Chatwal also sought to obstruct the grand jury investigation into his Election Act scheme by tampering with a witness, a person whose business performed construction work for Chatwal and Chatwals companies, and who had recruited straw donors at Chatwals direction. In a June 2012 recorded conversation, Chatwal told that individual that if FBI and IRS agents approached him or his family, they should not speak with the agents and should instead refer them to a lawyer Chatwal would provide. During this conversation, the individual said that he would not tell agents that Chatwal gave him money to reimburse straw donors. Chatwal replied, Never, never. A few days later, in a July 2012 recorded conversation, Chatwal directed the same individual to lie to agents about the Election Act scheme. Chatwal said he would pay for the individuals legal fees in connection with the investigation, and offered to conceal the money within a payment for work the individuals company had performed for Chatwal. During the conversation, they discussed that investigators were seeking copies of campaign checks in the individuals possession, and they then discussed that it was helpful that some of the straw donors had been reimbursed with cash. Chatwal added, cash has no proof. The guilty plea proceeding took place before United States District Judge I. Leo Glasser. The governments case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Martin Coffey, Carolyn Pokorny, Robert Capers and Brian Morris, and Trial Attorney Marquest Meeks of Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice. The Defendant: SANT SINGH CHATWAL Age: 70 Residence: New York, NY