AG Balderas secures guilty pleas from former state senator who embezzled thousands of dollars from campaign donors

Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 21 August 2018 21 August 2018

Albuquerque, NM – Today, Attorney General Hector Balderas secured four guilty pleas from former State Senator Phil Griego, relating to his additional criminal case tied to unlawful pocketing of campaign donations. Griego pleaded guilty to two felony counts of perjury, and two felony counts of embezzlement.

"My office secured multiple convictions against former Senator Griego for crimes committed against taxpayers," said Attorney General Balderas. "Our office will continue to combat fraud and corruption in corporate and government sectors."

Today's guilty pleas are in addition to the numerous trial convictions that AG Balderas secured against Griego last year for crimes committed against the State while Griego was in Office. Griego will now be held accountable to the public for the additional crimes he committed against his own campaign donors and for betraying the public's trust by inaccurately reporting campaign contributions. Griego's donors trusted that their contributions to his campaign were going to serve the democratic process, not line his pockets.

While the state requested an additional 18 months of incarceration, Griego was sentenced to an additional year of incarceration, to be served consecutive to his incarceration for trial conviction. Upon his release, Griego will face one year of parole, and the maximum five years of supervised probation.

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