ActBlue, the Democratic fundraising platform that has raised millions of dollars for Kamala Harris, is under scrutiny as potential criminal charges loom in five states. The GOP-led Committee on House Administration has been investigating allegations of fraudulent activities, accusing ActBlue of exploiting unwitting donors to circumvent campaign finance laws.
Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) has referred the committee’s findings of “potential criminal activity” to the Republican attorneys general of Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Texas, and Virginia for further investigation. The allegations suggest that ActBlue has been involved in money laundering schemes, with fraudulent donations being funneled through gift cards and prepaid credit cards.
Experts in money laundering, credit card fraud, and terrorism finance, along with the Federal Election Commission, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control, have assisted in the investigation. Their analysis of over 200 million Federal Election Commission records spanning 14 years has revealed suspicious trends, including multiple donations of $2.50 from the same individual, donations exceeding the donor’s financial capacity, sudden contributions from registered voters to opposing party candidates, and frequent donations from elderly individuals or first-time donors.
In letters to each attorney general, Steil attached detailed donor records and emphasized the need for further investigation into the suspicious activities. He stated, “This investigation has exposed potential criminal activity that should be investigated by an appropriate law enforcement agency, such as your office. The final analysis produced a set of anomalous donor profiles, ranked by the severity of the inconsistencies. In reviewing this analysis, it became clear there is suspicious activity occurring that warrants further review.”
Steil’s investigation was initiated based on whistleblower complaints and aims to increase transparency in elections. Last month, he urged the FEC to enhance donor verification standards, including the requirement to verify the three-digit security code of credit cards provided by donors and the prohibition of gift cards for political donations. Additionally, Steil has introduced legislation to implement further safeguards for online political contributions.
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