Queens Politician Charged With Campaign Finance Fraud

Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI’s New York City office announced the unsealing of an indictment against Al Baldeo, a Democratic district leader in Queens who was a 2010 candidate for the New York City Council.

Baldeo is alleged to have fabricated contributions to his campaign by using “straw donors,” so that his campaign could receive $6 in matching funds for each dollar he raised through New York City’s matching funds program.

Prosecutors also say that he obstructed the investigation by instructing straw donors to either provide false information to or not cooperate with the FBI, and in one case threatening one of the straw donors.

The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney Office’s Public Corruption Unit.