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Democratic donor pleads guilty to illegal campaign contributionsBy Terry Frieden/CNN
January 5, 1999 WASHINGTON (January 5) -- A Miami businessman pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to funneling illegal contributions to the 1996 Clinton-Gore re-election campaign. 
Juan Ortiz, chief financial officer of Future Tech International (FTI), pleaded guilty to a scheme in which he secretly reimbursed himself and eight other FTI employees with corporate funds for their individual $1,000 contributions at a 1995 fund-raising event at a Miami hotel. Under the plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Ortiz could receive a maximum of one year in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Friedman set sentencing for March 23. Ortiz is cooperating with the Justice Department's campaign finance task force, which brought the charges. The prosecutors are more interested in Ortiz' boss, FTI Chief Executive Officer Mark Jimenez. Officials have charged Jimenez with organizing and concealing the conduit scheme. Authorities say Jimenez is believed to have fled the United States. Ortiz and his attorney refused to comment on the case. (Editor's Note: In this January 5, 1999, news story on a campaign finance investigation, AllPolitics mistakenly provided a related sites link to a firm, Future Technologies Consulting Group of Marietta, Georgia, that has no connection with the investigation mentioned in the story. The link should have gone to Future Tech International of Miami, Florida. AllPolitics regrets the error.) MORE STORIES:Tuesday January 5, 1999
• Hastert nominated as speaker • Democratic donor pleads guilty to illegal campaign contributions • Who are the new members of Congress? • Clinton Administration targets inmate drug use • Religious leaders ask Senate to raise level of debate • Ashcroft decides not to jump into 2000 race • The new Congress? An eclectic bunch • Ailing House members to take oath at home • House seeks to ease ban on gifts • Election date set for Gingrich seat |
