Trail of Hsu's Ambition Leads to Prison

Former fugitive will face Ponzi scheme charges in NY

(NEWSER) - More than 15 years after pleading no-contest to grand theft charges, Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu was sentenced in California to 3 years in prison today, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. A judge dismissed Hsu's argument that he was denied the right to speedy justice because authorities made little effort to find him during his fugitive years. Hsu's lawyer plans to appeal the ruling. More»

Four cases, six defendants, $1.1M in contributions

(NEWSER) - A number of Hillary Clinton’s top fundraisers are now caught up in criminal cases, including Galen Capital Group Chairman William P. Danielczyk Jr., who was indicted last week. There are now four major federal cases involving six defendants who raised a total of more than $1.1 million for Clinton’s 2006 Senate campaign and 2008 White House campaign, the Washington Post reports. Danielczyk is accused of skirting campaign finance limits by illegally reimbursing almost $190,000 in donations he'd nominally solicited from others. More»

(NEWSER) - Norman Hsu is a man of many hats, but the Hillary Clinton fundraiser extraordinaire, Ponzi schemer, and onetime fugitive has been sentenced to wear them in prison for the next 24 years. While significantly less than the 30 years prosecutors had asked for, Hsu’s lawyer tells the Wall Street Journal that his client plans an appeal. Though Hsu has admitted guilt, he says the prosecution inflated the size of his Ponzi scheme, which is taken into consideration when sentencing. More»

Candidates’ biggest spenders launder money and break laws

(NEWSER) - "Bundlers"—political fundraisers who solicit other donors to give—are a standard feature of the presidential race, and many remain favored by major campaigns despite unethical and even illegal conduct. The Post spotlights questionable rainmakers in the Norman Hsu scandal aftermath, including one Hillary donor who gave $160,000 and a country-club membership to a Bill appointee’s son. More»

So many donors, so little time?

(NEWSER) - Fugitive financier Norman Hsu surrendered to a San Mateo, CA, court yesterday, and was released on $2 million bail, leaving political types to wonder how someone with an outstanding grand theft charge could slip under the radar of so many campaigns, especially the experienced hands who let him donate and raise more than $130,000 for Hillary Clinton, the LA Times reports. More»