Queens woman arrested for forging campaign donations

New York Post ^ | 9/6/2016 | Rebecca Rosenberg and Carl Campanile

[simpson96]

A young Queens politico who ran for City Council in 2015 was arrested Tuesday for faking donations to get 6-for-1 matching taxpayer funds for her losing campaign, authorities said.

Celia Dosamantes, 25, allegedly forged 32 contribution cards totaling $3,255, then filed the documents with the Campaign Finance Board in an attempt to get matching funds of nearly $19,530 from the city, officials said.

CFB allegedly caught Dosamantes red-handed during a compliance visit last summer, according to assistant district attorney Nicholas Leddy.

“Forged contribution cards were recovered from a folder defendant attempted to conceal in her lap,” the prosecutor said in Manhattan Supreme Court as Dosamantes (inset) sat at the defense table in a pin-striped navy pant suit, her hands cuffed behind her back.

The SUNY grad filed two disclosure statements with the CFB in August 2015, court papers show.

“These fillings included dozens of forged documents that purported to show contributions to her campaign that were never, in fact, made,” Leddy said. “The forged contribution cards appear to have been digitally altered from legitimate contribution cards.”

She’s also charged with submitting a copy of a digitally altered check, officials said.

“All of the donors who appear on the contribution cards and the check at issue in this indictment confirmed that they did not make the donations reflected in those documents,” Leddy said.

She faces 1 ¹/₃ to 4 years in prison on 35 counts of offering a false instrument and attempted grand larceny. (snip)

Dosamantes previously worked as an aide to Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens), who was surprised to hear of her arrest.

[simpson96]

"But...but...it was For The Greater Good...!!!"

[dp0622]

Guilty...and not guilty.

six to one matching in NYC. Incredible.

[bjc]

6 to 1 match is totally outrageous. So outrageous, she could probably claim entrapment.

[rjsimmon]

Yeah, she lied and committed grand larceny. But just think of all the street cred she will come out with!

[MIA_eccl1212]

Dosamantes previously worked as an aide to Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens), who was surprised to hear of her set her up to be the "fall guy" to avoid disclosing his actions that would cause his immediate arrest.

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her face says... "David told me this was what I was supposed to do for him... how could it be illegal?"

[C210N]

She joins an elite club.

[Tess1]

She was DESPERATE. She also FILED LATE. This is a quote from her from the Queens Tribune.

Her campaign has unfortunately been plagued by her late filing of campaign contributions, which prevented her from getting matching funds. In a previous Queens Tribune article, she was quoted as saying; she “found errors on some of the contributor’s forms and checks.” She added, “I had a choice. I could file on time, and have incorrect, incomplete information, and that wouldn’t be fair to the people in my district or I could file late.”

You just have to love the sincerity!