Ping
Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY) paid $44,000 to a political consultant who is under federal investigation as part of the Spitzer prostitution scandal. Kristian Stiles, began fundraising working for Spitzer in her mid-20s. Her Acuri connection dates to July 2007, when he began paying her $4,000 a month for fundraising. The timing is critical because it overlaps the period federal authorities were investigating Spitzer for prostitution activities.
The NY Times reported feds "requested detailed documentation for thousands of dollars" in transactions between Stiles and Spitzer. One campaign staffer said they generally work on commission by event, not as consultants. "If you want a fundraiser, you go to the experts, not some 20-something woman. Let's see her invoices. Let's see the events she arranged. Let's see the PAC contributions she brought in."
Stiles relationship with Spitzer was quite unusual: Campaign finance records show that Ms. Stiles, 31, was paid about $6,460 monthly for consulting the Spitzer 2010 committee, and was reimbursed for nearly $22,000 in expenditures over the last year. Stiles frequently made Spitzer’s travel arrangements, paid with her own credit card. Stiles often accompanied Spitzer on trips to coordinate fund-raising events, and was comfortable incurring hotel and other charges...........
EXCERPT http://www.redstate.com/stories/congress/ny_24_arcuri_tied_to_spitzer_prostitution_scandal
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CORRUPT RISE TO THE TOP Spitler has a history of political flim-flamming using shady campaign funds. Prosecutors have records of Spitzer's transactions, phone records and taped conversations with the Emperors Club, and are confident they can nail him on violating prostitution laws and money-laundering..... and are also looking into whether Spitzer used campaign funds to pay for his pleasures.
ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN MONIES During Spitler's 1998 AG campaign, he indignantly denied allegations by his GOP opponent, Dennis Vacco (Vacco is a top-notch pro-life conservative), that Spitler's wealthy father had provided millions in loans to his campaign. Candidate Spitzer insisted he was using only his own money (family members are limited by law to $110,000 in total contributions). Spitler accused Vacco of "smearing" his father. Not until he'd actually taken office did Spitzer admit that Dennis Vacco had been correct. In fact, it turned out Spitzer, despite earlier denials, had done the exact same thing during his unsuccessful 1994 run for AG.
Spitzer falsely claimed during his 1988 campaign that he secured a $5 million campaign loan by mortgaging eight apartments his billionaire developer-father had given him. As the end of his campaign neared, Spitzer admitted that his father was actually paying off the loans and, therefore, financing his campaign - a possible election-law violation. Harvard-educated Spitzer was quoted as saying in a magazine article "I didn't realize how necessary it was to be transparent about every personal financial transaction."
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Emigre Mark Brener, the pimp behind the Emperor's Clun hooker ring, has been held without bail since his arrest on March 6, charged with violations of the Mann Act, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit interstate transportation in aid of racketeering.
Brener's money-laundering conspiracy, and interstate racketeering could involve one heck of a lot more than johns and whores. CONNECT THE DOTS Brener's IRS connections, his offshore connections, and far-flung prostitution in New York, Washington, Miami, London and Paris.
Emperor's Club hookers supposedly costing $1,000-$5,500 an hour, were paid for with cash, credit card, wire transfers or money orders. That raises enormous questions about money laundering, IRS fraud and evasion of US banking laws.
On the surface, emigre Brener ran the $5500-an-hour hooker operation and is the alleged mastermind of the high-end Emperors Club. But Brener was also working another operation---he was certified by the IRS to represent US taxpayers in disputes AND Brener also once worked for the Israeli national tax collection agency. Brener knew the ropes.
The hooker operation could have facilitated tax evasion through crooked accounting, and/or faking high-priced trysts, then depositing the monies in friendly offshore banks to evade the IRS and US banking laws.......and in Spitzer's case evading the FEC. Friendly offshore banks might then wire transfer monies on which no taxes were paid to other accounts.
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The beginning of Spitzer’s end can be traced to three banking transfers that left his personal account at the North Fork Bank in New York last spring and summer. For reasons that have not been satisfactorily explained, these payments totaling $15,000 attracted the attention of bank employees who monitor accounts for signs of suspicious activity. (NOTE: After 911, money-laundering laws were significantly tightened, requiring banks to file so-called “suspicious activity reports” whenever there is evidence that clients might be trying to sidestep routine regulations).
Spitzer’s money transfers to a company called QAT International Inc – later revealed to be a front for the Emperors Club – were reportedly considered by the bank to be an attempt to avoid another law that requires all transactions over $10,000 to be reported to the US Treasury.
Breaking down payments with intent to avoid US Treasury reporting is an offense known as “structuring.” Then-Gov Spitzer’s administration has also been connected to a sophisticated "destroyer program" that erases computer hard drives.