Former congressional campaign manager faces 3 years behind bars

Steve Chabot’s former campaign manager faces three years in prison when sentenced Tuesday in federal court.

Jamie Schwartz II has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and the falsification of records after embezzling $1.4 million between 2011-2019 from Congressman Chabot’s campaign.

In court documents, prosecutors call the criminal offenses “serious” and the conduct by Schwartz “egregious.”

They say for nearly a decade, “Schwartz fraudulently lined his own pockets with campaign funds at the expense of his friends and the entity he was hired to help further. Then, to conceal his criminal activities from federal officials, he doubled-down on his embezzlement scheme by engaging in one even more elaborate — for months he falsified official records, forged bank records, and lied to the FEC audit team to hide his years of stolen funds.”

At one point, Schwartz claimed his father was the treasurer of Chabot’s campaign, a job Schwartz II unofficially held. His dad didn’t have anything to do with it. Schwartz Sr. is in the jewelry business.

Prosecutors say when Schwartz realized he could no longer continue his activities, he reported them to law enforcement.

Schwartz is an Elder High School and Ohio State University graduate.

“Jamie’s fall from grace has led him to become more invested in his kids’ lives and to be a better father," defense attorney Kevin Tierney says in court documents. "It’s devastating to him to know the negative impact his actions have had and will have on his children.”

Tierney says there is little risk that his client will commit further crimes. He realizes his political career is over and since closing the doors on his two businesses — Fountain Square Group and Prime Media LLC — he has worked as a landscaper, an electrician and a freight broker.

Judge Timothy Black is scheduled to sentence Schwartz at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

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