Local high-profile donors testify in Michele Fiore’s federal wire fraud trial

Federal prosecutors called a series of witnesses to testify Thursday about donations given to former Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore, who is standing trial on charges of wire fraud.

She is accused of raising tens of thousands of dollars for a statue to honor Metropolitan Police Department officer Alyn Beck, who was killed in 2014, and then spending the money on personal expenses such as rent and plastic surgery, as well as her daughter’s wedding.

Fiore, who recently served as a Pahrump justice of the peace, pleaded not guilty after she was indicted in July on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy.

The jury heard additional testimony on Wednesday from several high-profile donors who gave to Fiore either personally or through local companies. Prosecutors called to the stand Las Vegas lobbyist Jay Brown; Robert Groesbeck, the former Henderson mayor and current co-CEO of Planet 13 marijuana dispensaries; Robert Richardson, the CEO of Community Ambulance; and Thomas White, business manager of the Laborers International Union 872 of Las Vegas.

The witness testified about authorizing thousands of dollars in charitable donations for the statue. Multiple witnesses also told prosecutors that Fiore did not contact them to say donations were no longer needed, and that the money was not reimbursed.

“We just assumed it would be related to the memorial, whatever that turned out to be,” Groesbeck testified about donating $5,000 to Fiore’s PAC, the Bright Present Foundation.

In opening statements on Wednesday, prosecutor Alexander Gottfried said that Beck’s statue was donated by the developer that constructed the park. The statue’s sculptor, Brian Hanlon, testified Wednesday that he never received payments from Fiore for the Beck statue.

Alyn Beck’s widow, Nicole Beck, testified Wednesday that she was not part of the efforts to raise money for the statue and didn’t know Fiore was doing so.

Brown, a lobbyist and attorney, testified that he authorized three checks in 2019 totaling about $27,000 to the Bright Present Foundation. He said he has known Fiore personally for years, but would have had ethical concerns with helping her out with personal financial issues due to their respective jobs.

Brown testified that in 2020, he received about $17,000 back from the Bright Present Foundation, but he was not refunded more of his donation.

He also recalled speaking with Gov. Joe Lombardo, who was then the Clark County sheriff, about donating for the statue.

Prosecutors showed the jury an email sent by Brown to Groesbeck, indicating that he was helping Fiore and Lombardo raise $80,000 for the statue.

“I have no recollection of the sheriff asking me to raise money,” Brown testified, repeatedly noting he could not remember details from five years ago.

Governor may be witness

Court filings indicate that Lombardo was among the donors who gave money for the statue. Attorneys have indicated the governor could be among future witnesses.

The jury heard from Mark Wlaschin, the deputy secretary of state for elections, who testified to state laws that govern how political candidates report campaign contributions and expenses. Wlaschin said state law prevents candidates from using campaign funds for personal expenses.

Under cross-examination, Wlaschin said that state law does not define a “restricted donation” that would have to be used for a certain purpose.

Fiore’s ex-husband, George Kaime, also testified on Thursday, addressing payments he made towards his adopted daughter’s wedding.

Kaime said he agreed to pay for a portion of the wedding, and he believed that Fiore would pay for the rest. Although an invoice showed that there were several cash payments made towards the wedding, Kaime testified he submitted his payments online.

“My prior experience told me I needed to have documentation, and that was the best way for me to do it,” Kaime said.

He testified that he did not know how Fiore was paying for her portion of the wedding.

Fiore’s defense attorney, Michael Sanft, has criticized the way the FBI investigated Fiore. He told the Review-Journal on Wednesday that the federal agency was “producing garbage” in this case.

He has argued that Fiore and her daughter’s actions when it came to their accounting was “sloppy but not criminal.”

The trial is set to resume with more testimony on Friday morning.