Money Laundering Ohio

On an average day, more than $2,000,000 in laundered money flows through the United States of America. Constitutionally-speaking, it is no shock then, that each individual 50 States are affected in some way by money laundering. And the State of Ohio is no different. What is shocking, however, is how a recent arrest under the criminal provisions of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (a/k/a McCain-Finegold) began the unfolding of an alleged campaign contribution money laundering scheme using State of Ohio public funds, involving one of Toledo’s most well known political activists, former Chair of the Lucas County Board of Elections, and a notable entrepreneur of a thriving collectible coin business to the center of a burgeoning Presidential campaign fundraising scandal. The Buckeye State has never been the same since, while not missing a few pennies off their buck.

Contribution Scandal

Shortly before the 2004 Presidential election, President George W. Bush honored Mr. Tom Noe, Chairman of the Lucas County, Ohio 2004 Bush-Cheney Presidential Re-Election Campaign (among with other high-ranking positions as many political activists usually hold), for his “Leadership in Lucas County.” Mr. Noe, as a strong Republican activist and fundraiser, had definitely shown President Bush his support by heavily contributing to this Presidential re-election campaign.

President Bush praised Mr. Noe for raising over $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney 2004 Presidential Re-election Campaign. However, it was Mr. Noe’s own alleged laundered campaign donations that drew scrutiny—and Mr. Noe’s indictments, arrests, pleas, and finally, admission of guilt that is still unfolding today. During his fundraising campaign, Mr. Noe had allegedly skirted Federal campaign financing laws by funneling his own money through other contributors or “conduits” as the Federal prosecutors have labeled them, which is supposedly illegal, and a well-known fact for Ohio citizens.

Way back in 2003, on October 30th, during a $2,000 per-seat fundraiser in Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Noe employed approximately one dozen Ohio voting citizens as “conduits” to contribute Mr. Noe’s own monies to the Bush/Cheney 2004 Re-election Campaign, skirting his own $2,000 personal legal limit. Most of Mr. Noe’s “conduits” received between $1,700-$4,000, to funnel into the Bush/Cheney Re-election Campaign, mostly husbands and wives, a sacred institution of America and Americans. Two conduits received over $6,000 and $14,300, respectively, which they then channeled to other contributors. In total, Tom Noe funneled through these conduits $45,400 into the Bush/Cheney 2004 re-election campaign—well over the $2,000 campaign contribution limit. And then it gets even better … where did Tom Noe get the money to contribute? That’s for the upcoming October 2006 trials on another set of charges to decide.

Coming Clean With State Funds

In addition to charges for skirting campaign limits with laundered dollars and spare change, Tom Noe also faces indictments on at least 50 Federal counts for laundering State of Ohio Public Funds with his rare coin business. Just how did this happen?

In March 1998, the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation awarded Mr. Noe a $50 million dollar investment contract. Mr. Noe received two payments of $25 million each to invest for the State of Ohio WC Fund—into his rare coin business. In a combination of simple bookkeeping, “lost” valuable coins, and ambiguous dealing, Noe is alleged to have managed to “lose” all but $13 million of the original $50 million he was given to invest on behalf of Ohio’s injured workers to appreciate in value.

Undoubtedly, Mr. Noe’s multiple indictments, arrests, charges, not guilty pleas, guilty pleas, upcoming trials, and other matters makes one ponder what was really going on here in Ohio. Between funneled campaign contributions and so far still missing investment funds, Tom Noe might possibly cement his historical contribution to the $2,000,000 of “clean money” floating around the United States of America’s 50 States daily. Unfortunately, during Mr. Noe’s coin operation money laundering, Ohio was once again thrown into an election scandal. Want to learn more? Visit www.justsaynoemore.com.