Bergen Man Admitted To Funneling $80K To Presidential Fundraising Committee: U.S. Attorney

A Paramus man admitted Wednesday he helped funnel $80,000 in foreign funds to the joint fundraising committee of the President United States during the 2012 presidential election, which is prohibited by federal law, authorities said.

Bilal Shehu, 48, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to willfully making such contributions, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

In 2012, Shehu received about $80,000 from a foreign source and gave it to the joint fundraising committee to disguise its origin and so a foreign national could attend campaign event in San Francisco, Fishman said.

Shehu admitted receiving the money from a wire transfer from a foreign bank and put it into his New Jersey-based bank account knowing that he would provide it to the joint fundraising committee, Fishman said.

Shehu flew to San Francisco and tried to attend a fundraising event with the foreign national, who could not attend, but was allowed to be photographed with President Obama, the attorney said.

No one on the joint fundraising committee has been accused of any wrongdoing and the committee has fully cooperated with the investigation, Fishman said.

Shehu faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 5.

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