Source: US FBI
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman pled guilty today to embezzling campaign contributions from three federal candidates for political office and committing tax evasion.
According to court documents, Katherine Margaret Buchanan, 59, worked as a political campaign compliance consultant for more than 20 years for various political campaigns and political action committees (PACs). Typically, she held the title of “Treasurer” of the campaign or PAC. Beginning in 2020 and continuing to 2024, Buchanan used the access she had as treasurer to embezzle contributed funds from her clients and converted that money to her own personal use. Buchanan used campaign or PAC funds to make payments to her personal credit cards, used official campaign or PAC credit cards to make personal purchases, used campaign or PAC funds to pay third parties for her own personal enrichment, and transferred funds from campaign or PAC bank accounts into her personal bank accounts.
Buchanan used the embezzled funds for such personal expenses as dining, landscaping, aesthetic services, a Peloton exercise bike, clothing, airline tickets to Italy, concert tickets and suites, landscaping, chartered yacht tours, and legal fees. Altogether, Buchanan misappropriated at least $840,006.98 in contributed funds from the various campaign committees and PACs for whom she served as treasurer.
Buchanan also under-reported the income she received from 2017 through 2022 to the Internal Revenue Service to avoid paying taxes on it. This resulted in a total loss of unpaid federal taxes of $671,200.
Buchanan is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8 and faces up to five years in prison for each charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-150.