WASHINGTON — House Republicans Thursday accused their former campaign treasurer of embezzling at least $725,000 in a scheme that federal investigators say involved using the money to cover major home renovations and mortgage payments and marked the biggest case of political fraud in a generation.
A four-month forensic audit of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s books also claimed Christopher J. Ward, who worked in the committee’s accounting office for more than 12 years, also took $28,000 that should have gone to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Ward had already been accused by other Republican lawmakers of misappropriating $64,000 from six political action committees and re election committees, bringing his total alleged embezzlement to more than $810,000.
But Republicans admitted that their internal audit may not have reflected the totality of the embezzlement because committee bank records went back only to 2001 and they lacked access to Ward’s personal bank accounts, which the FBI has been reviewing. They said the overall amount of money taken could be far greater than their current estimate.
“We’ll never know the full extent,” Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., the committee chairman, said.
Ward is currently under FBI investigation for theft and money laundering, according to Justice Department documents filed last week seeking the forfeiture of his Bethesda, Md., home.
Ward’s attorney declined to comment Thursday.
