Ex-Indiana congressional candidate Gabriel Whitley, 27, is set to plead guilty to charges of misrepresenting campaign contributions in official reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). According to the Department of Justice, Whitley, from Indianapolis, admitted to inflating figures to make his campaign, "Honest Gabe for Congress," appear more financially supported than it actually was.
During his run for Indiana’s Seventh Congressional District, Whitley also managed his campaign's finances, reporting falsified contributions from fictitious supporters and personal loans that were never made. In October 2023, Whitley reported $222,690 in donations from 67 made-up individuals. He continued this practice in reports filed in January and April 2024, including a fake $100,000 loan to his campaign.
Whitley's guilty plea could result in a sentence of up to five years in prison, with a change-of-plea and sentencing hearing yet to be scheduled. A federal court judge will determine the sentence, considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The announcement was made by Brent Wible, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, and John E. Childress, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. The FBI Indianapolis Field Office conducted the investigation, with the case brought to court by Jacob R. Steiner, Trial Attorney of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston.
