Probe Of Ex-Rep. David Rivera Hinges On Friend
Probe Of Ex-Rep. David Rivera Hinges On Friend
AP | By CURT ANDERSON
Posted: 08/01/2014 1:12 pm EDT Updated: 41 minutes ago
MIAMI (AP) — After four years of unrelenting investigations, former U.S. Rep. David Rivera's fate in a criminal campaign finance probe could rest squarely on the shoulders of a woman who was his close friend and longtime Republican political consultant with deep roots in South Florida's Cuban exile community.
Ana Alliegro, 44, is in a Broward County jail awaiting an Aug. 25 trial on four felony campaign finance charges that each carry maximum five-year prison sentences. She has pleaded not guilty and was denied bail by two separate judges because, in the midst of the FBI investigation, she twice fled to Nicaragua rather than meet with prosecutors and agents.
Alliegro is charged with funneling about $80,000 to an unknown Democratic congressional candidate, Justin Lamar Sternad, who was running in the 2012 primary for the chance to challenge GOP incumbent Rivera in Florida's 26th congressional district. Prosecutors say Sternad, a low-paid Miami Beach hotel clerk with no political experience, was a ringer candidate intended to smear Democrat Joe Garcia, who is much better known and ultimately toppled Rivera in the general election.
Sternad pleaded guilty, has cooperated with the investigation and on July 10 was sentenced to seven months in federal prison. Although prosecutors have not identified Rivera by name, they refer to Alliegro as working with "co-conspirator A." Sternad directly implicated Rivera in testimony, and defense lawyers say Rivera is the person prosecutors are referring to.
More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/01/david-rivera-probe_n_5642019.html
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