MD GOP Treasurer Accused Of Embezzling $200K For Yacht Loan

ANNE ARUNDEL CO., MD — James Appel, a longtime campaign treasurer out of Annapolis, was named in a 10-page indictment on Monday that lays out a theft of $200,000.

He faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering, offenses that carry up to 20 years in prison.

The funds, according to authorities, were funneled into Appel's accounts and used as part of a loan refinance application for his boat, a Pacific Mariner 65 Motoryacht.

Investigators say Appel stole $100,000 from a politician and another $100,000 from a community organization based in Anne Arundel County.

The money transfers began in May 2023 and continued through June 2024, with fraudulent records about the assets submitted to the bank, the Maryland State Board of Elections, and the community group's board members through early 2026.

Neither the politician nor the community organization were identified in Monday's filing.

In a statement, Del. Kathy Szeliga, who represents Baltimore County and serves as the vice-chair for the Maryland Freedom Caucus, said she was "one of the victims in this case."

"As a trusted professional, political, and commercial treasurer, James Appel exploited that trust and stole from the very people he was hired to serve," Szeliga said. "It’s a betrayal beyond words."

"Like others, I relied on him to handle campaign finances honestly and transparently. Instead, he allegedly diverted and embezzled funds that were contributed in good faith by hardworking Marylanders, who are also victims of his alleged crimes."

"No one is above the law. And when trust and the law are broken at this level, it must be met with swift consequences," the delegate added.

The Washington Post reported that Appel was listed as the treasurer for the Anne Arundel County Tennis Association. On their website, the treasurer position is currently listed as "vacant."

The 58-year-old Appel worked for years managing the funds of political candidates in Maryland. He has ties to the House Republican Caucus, Maryland GOP, and the Maryland Freedom Caucus.

In a statement to The Baltimore Sun, House Minority Leader Jason Buckel said the House Republican Caucus would be removing Appel "as a treasurer of our account as soon as a substitute treasurer is ready to complete the necessary paperwork, hopefully in the next few days."

An internal review of the caucus's funding did not raise any red flags, Buckel said.