Ex-director of DC-based military charity found guilty of fraud, tax evasion
WASHINGTON — The former executive director of the now-defunct Armed Forces Foundation has been convicted Thursday by a jury of stealing from the charity that helped military veterans and their families.
Patricia Driscoll, 40, of Ellicott City, Maryland, was the executive director of the D.C.-based charity until 2015. During her 12-year tenure, federal prosecutors claimed she used money donated to the organization for herself and to pay expenses for her for-profit business.
In federal forms for the nonprofit, she is accused of falsely categorizing and having others falsely categorize money she spent on herself as money used to benefit veterans, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for D.C. She was also accused of failing to report benefits she received from fundraising, which included commissions.
While allegedly cooking the books, prosecutors said Driscoll also sent fraudulent federal forms to members of the organization’s boards and the Internal Revenue Service in an attempt to cover up her crimes.
A jury found Driscoll guilty on two counts of wire fraud and tax evasion, as well as one count of first-degree fraud. She could face more than 30 years in prison when sentenced.
Driscoll’s attorney Brian Stolarz said he is disappointed by the verdict and maintains his client’s innocence. “The jury did not get it right,” Stolarz said in an emailed statement to WTOP.
Stolarz said his client will remain out of jail pending sentencing, which is slated for mid-March. As they await sentencing, they are preparing to appeal the verdict.
“This is not the final chapter of this story,” Stolarz said.
Driscoll once dated NASCAR driver Kurt Busch until their public breakup in 2014 that included abuse allegations against Busch.
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