The Attorneys General of Virginia and Missouri, along with the Secretary of State of Wyoming, have announced simultaneous investigations into ActBlue over allegations of a money laundering scheme.
Investigative journalist James O’Keefe III launched his first major investigation in March 2023 under the O’Keefe Media Group, uncovering what he describes as a vast network of Democratic donation harvesters.
Key findings from the investigation include:
- Millions of dollars in donation harvesting
- Hundreds of thousands of illegal drops
- Activity crossing numerous states
A notable case involves Cindy Nowe from Annapolis, Maryland, who allegedly made over 1,000 donations to ActBlue in 2022, totaling $18,849.77. This would mean Cindy donated three times a day, every day, for the entire year.
James O’Keefe shared a video revealing that many listed donors denied making the high number of contributions attributed to them. This suggests potential widespread fraud.
Investigative researcher Parker Thayer from the Capital Research Center found suspicious donation patterns, with some individuals in Michigan allegedly making tens of thousands of donations. For example, a single donor in Monroe reportedly made over 20,000 donations since 2019, totaling more than $40,000.
The investigations by state officials aim to address these serious allegations:
- Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is looking into ActBlue entities for potentially fraudulent, deceptive, and illegal activities involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from individual donors.
- Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has stated that his team is examining the disturbing allegations surrounding ActBlue.
- Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray has launched an investigation into ActBlue Wyoming for allegedly stealing individuals’ identities to conceal illegal donations, including contributions from foreign actors.
The officials demand transparency and accountability from ActBlue, with a focus on verifying the legitimacy and accuracy of donor information and ensuring compliance with legal requirements. These investigations highlight a significant concern about the integrity of political fundraising and the potential for misuse of funds.