The Justice Department is investigating allegations of election
fraud involving federal campaign contributions raised through
organizations tied to the Catawba Indian Nation.
The FBI last month searched the offices of three Columbia
companies, one of which is owned primarily by the York County tribe,
according to investigative documents obtained by The State
newspaper.
The inquiry is being run out of Washington and the Justice
Department’s Public Integrity section, court records show.
The Aug. 31 raid of New River Management & Development, SPM
(formerly South Property Management) and Kapp Investment Management
yielded 24 boxes of financial records, evidence of political
contributions, computers, and business and tax documents, according
to an inventory of the seized items.
All three companies share office space at 2711 Middleburg Drive
off Forest Drive near Richland Mall.
In seeking the search warrant, FBI agent Amylynn Miller told a
federal magistrate judge the government believes evidence was being
concealed in the offices.
Jay Bender, a longtime attorney for the Catawbas, said Tuesday
the tribe is not a target of the probe.
“Nobody has communicated in any way that the tribe is involved in
an investigation,” he said.
Bender is a Columbia attorney who specializes in media law and
First Amendment issues. Among his clients are The State newspaper
and the South Carolina Press Association; The State is a member of
the press association.
He was contacted for this article in his capacity as a lawyer for
the tribe.
Attempts to reach SPM chairman Terry Collier on Tuesday were
unsuccessful.
An attorney for Kapp Investment, Jan Strifling, confirmed the
investigation but would not comment.
Strifling said Lloyd Kapp no longer shares office space with SPM
or New River.
New River manages the Catawbas’ bingo and real estate development
activities, Bender said.
SPM is owned by Collier but partners with the tribe through New
River, Bender said.
He was unsure of Kapp’s ties to the Catawbas.
In Miller’s application for a search warrant, she says the
government is looking into possible violations of the federal
campaign contribution law.
A list of items agents sought includes “contributions of anything
of value to political candidates or organizations” since January
2000.
Agents also sought bank account records, canceled checks, deposit
slips or wire transfers involving the tribe’s dealings with New
River, SPM and Kapp Investments.
In addition, agents were looking for payments or reimbursements
that funded political contributions.
The records, released by Magistrate Judge Bristow Marchant after
the newspaper petitioned for access, do not indicate which races are
in question.
Miller’s search warrant application cites federal law that sets
contribution limits for individuals and political action
committees.
Generally, individuals can’t contribute more than $2,000 per
election to any federal candidate, $5,000 per calendar year to any
PAC, $10,000 per calendar year to each state or local party
committee, and $25,000 per calendar year to any national party
committee.
The application also cites the federal law prohibiting a person
from making a campaign contribution in the name of another
person.
A conviction under that section carries a maximum sentence of
five years in federal prison if the total contribution amount is at
least $25,000 during a calendar year, and two years in prison if the
total amount is less than $25,000 but more than $10,000 in a
calendar year.
Staff writer Rick Brundrett contributed to this report. Reach
LeBlanc at (803) 771-8664 or cleblanc@thestate.com.
