A Senate campaign is reeling after nearly $700,000 was stolen by cybercriminals.
According to an election filing reported by The Daily Wire, $690,000 was reported stolen from Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran‘s campaign accounts.
Moran's campaign treasurer, Timothy Gottschalk, wrote in a Federal Election Commission filing on December 8, 2022 that money had been taken from the campaign by a “third party cyber-criminal.”
“On November 14, 2022, our office was contacted by Astra Bank to notify us of potentially fraudulent activity concerning recent wire transfers to SRCP Media, Inc. After communications with staff, it was determined that two wires were sent for payment of fraudulent invoices. One wire was sent on October 25, 2022, for $345,000.00, and a second wire on November 9, 2022, for $345,000.00. For a total of $690,000.00,” Gottschalk wrote in the filing, first reported by Raw Story.
According to Moran's office, they reported the incident to the Republic County Sheriff's Office on November 16, before the investigation was turned over to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the FBI.
“Cybercriminals targeted the accounting firm employed by Moran For Kansas and money was wired to fraudulent bank accounts,” said Tom Brandt, a spokesman for Moran. “As soon as a discrepancy was realized, it was reported to law enforcement.”
Gottschalk said that $168,184.03 had been recovered on November 23. “We are currently pursuing all avenues available to recover the money and there is an ongoing investigation with the FBI,” Brandt added.
Moran was elected to the Senate in 2010 and is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the Appropriations Committee. He is also the ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee.
Moran won his third six-year term in the Senate in November with 60% of the vote against Democrat Mark Holland
Sen. Moran was among the Republican senators to vote in favor of President Biden's massive $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill.
3 Comments
Who did they steal from: Dems or GOP or Both??
OK make updates or lose more for future races
Both parties must go now not later. Term limits with compensation penalty.
Voter rights law must be in place. This is step one. .All legal US citizens must
vote.
Richard Bright
Well sense he voted for the $1.7 Trillion Democrot Pork Package with RINO COCAINE Mitch and screwed all Conservatives and non-Democrots, turn about is fair play. I hope he gets primaried by a Conservative next election.