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Who is Martin Kao?
According to his LinkedIn profile, Kao was designated as the President, CEO, and CFO of Navatek LLC started in 2012. The firm changed its name to Martin Defense Group shortly prior to his arrest. He stepped down from his position later.
In September 2020, Kao was charged in a separate case of defrauding banks of $12.8 million in COVID-relief funds aimed at small businesses. It was alleged that Kao had transferred over $2 million from the funds into his personal accounts, while his company executive admitted that the firm was unaffected by the pandemic. In a court hearing on May 12, 2020, Kao denied the charges and pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and bank fraud. His trial on the charges is scheduled for July 2021. Now, Kao is facing additional charges of unlawfully funneling thousands of dollars to Collins campaign.
On Tuesday, Axios reported on a newly public search warrant from the FBI revealing an investigation into a massive scheme to illegally funnel money to Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins 2020 re-election campaign.
Federal investigators suspect defense contractor Navatek and its former CEO Martin Kao illegally directed $150,000 to a Collins super PAC through a shell company. They also believe Kao reimbursed family members for donating to Collins, an illegal way to circumvent campaign donation limits. Kao has previously been indicted for fraudulently receiving COVID relief funds, Axios reported. According to the FBI, Kao and his wife set up a sham LLC called the Society for Young Women Scientists and Engineers. Navatek then wrote the LLC a $150,000 check, investigators say, which was passed on to the super PAC, Axios reported. Government contractors are barred from donating to federal political committees, and investigators suspect the donations were attempts to evade that proh