Campaign treasurer charged with fraud scheme that involved matching city funds

October 2, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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BROOKLYN — A CAMPAIGN TREASURER FOR A CANDIDATE IN THE 2021 PRIMARY ELECTION for Brooklyn Borough President has been charged with a scheme to defraud New York City’s Campaign Finance Board, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

The defendant, Erlene King, who is now 71, is accused of using straw donors and submitting forged documents in an attempt to steal $400,000 in matching city funds.

Court documents allege that while serving as the campaign treasurer for a candidate who ran in a primary for the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President during the 2021 election cycle, King obtained fraudulent donations for the purpose of inducing the CFB to provide matching funds to the campaign. A number of those contributions, obtained at King’s direction, were fraudulent nominee contributions made in the names of individuals who either did not personally fund the contributions or were later reimbursed for their contributions. Other fraudulent contributions were made in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen and who had not personally contributed to the candidate.

The U.S. Attorney did not name the candidate for Borough President who was involved in that primary election.

According to a 2009 CFB profile, Erlene King was a Democratic candidate in the primary for City Council (District 45) and was involved in civic and social service work in East Flatbush. Jumaane Williams, now NYC Public Advocate, won that primary and the City Council seat that year.

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