Blab Politics
$40,000 Stolen From Arnold & Porter PAC, Funds Recovered After Bank Reversal
On April 30, 2026, a $40,000 hole opened in the bank account of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP’s political action committee (PAC), only to be closed again a day later when Truist Bank reversed the fraudulent transaction. The theft began with a forged check that the committee deposited at a Washington, D.C. branch of Truist.
According to a federal filing reviewed by NOTUS, an unknown individual transferred the money from the PAC’s account to the bank. The committee alerted Truist shortly after the check was cashed, prompting the bank to reverse the transfer on May 1 and return the full amount to the PAC’s balance.
The PAC’s report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) describes the check as “fraudulent” and notes that the bank’s reversal restored the committee’s balance. The filing does not reveal who forged the check or how it was created.
Arnold & Porter acknowledged NOTUS’s request for comment but did not supply additional details about the theft. The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department told NOTUS that no police reports were filed at the firm’s address in April 2026. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request asking whether the firm had filed an incident report.
This incident fits into a broader pattern of thefts that have plagued political committees for the past decade. In 2025, a KPMG PAC reported a $10,000 check that was “fraudulently intercepted” and cashed by an unknown party; the firm was unable to recover the funds. A separate case involved the American Fintech Council, which lost nearly $2,500 after an unknown individual accessed its checkbook.
High‑profile thefts have also hit the political world in recent years. Jonas Murphy, former director of government affairs at the National Venture Capital Association, pleaded guilty in December to transporting stolen property, with prosecutors alleging more than $1 million was embezzled from the association’s PAC. Murphy is scheduled for sentencing in federal court.
Members of Congress have not been immune. In January, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s Oceans PAC reported more than $7,600 stolen by an “unaffiliated third party.” Senator Cory Booker’s campaign committee said a hacker stole over $3,000 in December; Booker’s PAC opened a new bank account to prevent future fraud.
The swift recovery of the stolen funds by the Arnold & Porter PAC is notable because many committees are unable to recoup losses. The incident underscores the vulnerability of PACs to check‑fraud schemes and the importance of rapid reporting and bank cooperation.
At present, the PAC has restored its balance and has not indicated any further action. No law‑enforcement agency has announced an investigation, and the FBI has not confirmed receipt of a complaint. The federal filing remains the primary public record of the theft.
The case highlights the ongoing risk of financial fraud in the political finance system and the need for robust safeguards and timely reporting by committees and banks alike.
According to a federal filing reviewed by NOTUS, an unknown individual transferred the money from the PAC’s account to the bank. The committee alerted Truist shortly after the check was cashed, prompting the bank to reverse the transfer on May 1 and return the full amount to the PAC’s balance.
The PAC’s report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) describes the check as “fraudulent” and notes that the bank’s reversal restored the committee’s balance. The filing does not reveal who forged the check or how it was created.
Arnold & Porter acknowledged NOTUS’s request for comment but did not supply additional details about the theft. The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department told NOTUS that no police reports were filed at the firm’s address in April 2026. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request asking whether the firm had filed an incident report.
This incident fits into a broader pattern of thefts that have plagued political committees for the past decade. In 2025, a KPMG PAC reported a $10,000 check that was “fraudulently intercepted” and cashed by an unknown party; the firm was unable to recover the funds. A separate case involved the American Fintech Council, which lost nearly $2,500 after an unknown individual accessed its checkbook.
High‑profile thefts have also hit the political world in recent years. Jonas Murphy, former director of government affairs at the National Venture Capital Association, pleaded guilty in December to transporting stolen property, with prosecutors alleging more than $1 million was embezzled from the association’s PAC. Murphy is scheduled for sentencing in federal court.
Members of Congress have not been immune. In January, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s Oceans PAC reported more than $7,600 stolen by an “unaffiliated third party.” Senator Cory Booker’s campaign committee said a hacker stole over $3,000 in December; Booker’s PAC opened a new bank account to prevent future fraud.
The swift recovery of the stolen funds by the Arnold & Porter PAC is notable because many committees are unable to recoup losses. The incident underscores the vulnerability of PACs to check‑fraud schemes and the importance of rapid reporting and bank cooperation.
At present, the PAC has restored its balance and has not indicated any further action. No law‑enforcement agency has announced an investigation, and the FBI has not confirmed receipt of a complaint. The federal filing remains the primary public record of the theft.
The case highlights the ongoing risk of financial fraud in the political finance system and the need for robust safeguards and timely reporting by committees and banks alike.
