(Courtesy: Baltimore Sun)
Federal investigators will call witnesses to a grand jury to describe how Lalit H. Gadhia a Baltimore lawyer and longtime Democratic Party fundraiser allegedly steered thousands of dollars in illegal contributions to an obscure New Mexico political fund.
Six witnesses confirmed this week that they were subpoenaed to testify ‘after telling the FBI that they were approached by Mr. Gadhia or his nephew in October and asked to contribute up to $1,000 each with the understanding they would be reimbursed. Proxy donations circumvent federal election laws that limit contributions to political action commit tees.
Gadhia, 56, and his 37 year old nephew, Uday Gadhia, have denied the charges and declined to discuss the allegations until the case is resolved.
“We will have no comment,” said Gadhia’s attorney, Daniel F. Goldstein, a former federal prosecutor. FBI officials refused to discuss the grand jury probe, citing secrecy rules. ‘We can’t really confirm or deny the existence of an investigation,” said FBI spokesman Larry Faust. ‘Signaling a widening probe into the case, the FBI is examining a political club founded in 1988 by Gadhia, according to grand jury subpoenas obtained by The Baltimore Sun.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 23, 1995
