Former Democratic Operative & Campaign Treasurer Charged With Bank Fraud In Potential Multi-Million Dollar Embezzlement

Kinde L. Durkee, 58, of Burbank, California, was arrested last week and charged with federal bank fraud in connection with an alleged embezzlement of possibilly millions of dollars from a number of campaigns, including that of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).  According to Feinstein, her campaign coffers have been "wiped out," to the tune of millions of dollars.  Durkee's political consulting firm, Durkee & Associates has run afoul of campaign finance laws in the past.  In the current criminal case, Durkee reportedly had control over 400 bank accounts and appeared to be embezzling cash for personal use -- and then shuffling funds around different accounts to cover her trail, according to a federal complaint.  Media reports state that The Los Angeles County Democratic Party says they lost $200,000, Representative Susan Davis (D-San Diego) alleges losses of more than $250,000 and Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) says Durkee "emptied her campaign fund."  The FBI complaint against Durkee alleges that she embezzled more than $677,000 from the Solario for Assembly 2010 campaign and spent the money covering bounced employee payroll checks, paying for her mother's care at an assisted living facility, and paying Costco and Virgin Air bills.

Read the story here, here, here, here and here.

Update (3/30/12): Durkee, now 59, has pleaded guilty to embezzling at least $7 million from prominent Democrat politician's campaigns.