LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Former Nye County judge and Las Vegas city councilwoman Michele Fiore is on trial accused of secretly diverting money from her City Council campaign, political action committee and her now-dissolved charity for personal use.
Fiore's trial began this week with opening statements and the first witness testimonies on Wednesday.
During opening statements, federal prosecutor Alexander Gottfried said evidence in this trial will prove Fiore took advantage of the memories of fallen officers for her personal gain.
Gottfried argued Fiore promised her donors that 100% of the funds would go toward building the statue. But in reality, nothing went into it.
Fiore is represented by attorney Michael Sanft, who told jurors the FBI did not do a complete and unbiased investigation.
A total of six witnesses testified on Wednesday.
The first witness was Nicole Beck, the wife of fallen officer Alyn Beck.
WATCH | Remembering Las Vegas fallen officers
She recalled meeting Fiore at the groundbreaking of the Alyn Beck Memorial Park in December 2018.
This picture from the ceremony was shown to jurors.
Beck got emotional remembering the early discussions with Fiore about her late husband's statue. She said she went home thinking, "Would this be a good thing?"
However, Beck told jurors she didn't oppose the statue because she thought it would be a good thing overall.
The second witness was sculptor Brian Hanlon, based in New Jersey.
He designed the Alyn Beck Memorial Statue.
Hanlon said a private real estate group called Olympia Companies reached out to him about building the statue.
He told jurors he met Fiore before but was unaware of any fundraising efforts by her for the statue or her charity.
The third witness was Michael Barnes, a payment operations director at Western Alliance Bank.
Barnes explained payment processing and check settlement processes.
The fourth witness was FBI special agent Douglas Smith.
He was the team lead who served a search warrant on Fiore's house for the fraud investigation on January 27, 2021.
Smith told jurors he knew going in that it was a public corruption case. Approximately, 20 people carried out that search.
Next was Elizabeth Stavola, a cannabis executive from New Jersey.
Stavola said she used to have a cannabis business in Nevada but no longer does.
She said she donates to charitable causes, especially pertaining to law enforcement and veterans.
Stavola said she is friends with Fiore and she went to her daughter's wedding in 2019.
A check was shown in court from October 2019, when Stavola donated to Fiore's charity, A Bright Present Foundation.
The amount was for $5,000 and Stavola recalls this was for the Alyn Beck statue.
The last witness of the day was well-known attorney David Chesnoff.
He said he has interacted with Fiore over the years and he does not recall Fiore asking him to donate to her charity.
A check for $5,000 that he sent from his law firm to A Bright Present Foundation from December 2019 was shown in court.
Chesnoff said he donates to a lot of charities and sometimes doesn't recall specific transactions.
Fiore was seen telling Chesnoff "thank you" as he got off the stand.
After court, Fiore said she was feeling "good" about trial. She was seen smiling throughout proceedings.
She said the FBI didn't search her home but they "raided, looted and robbed" it.
I also spoke to former federal prosecutor Paul Padda, who now practices private law.
"Every case, whether it's a civil or criminal case, has to have jury appeal," Padda said. "I think people understand if they promise to do something and they don't deliver, they mislead."
Padda added that stakes are high for a former public official on a federal trial.
"There is belief among people in the public that often people get into politics to enrich themselves," Padda said. "So if you're a public official being prosecuted for corruption or fraud, that is a hurdle to overcome."
Testimony will continue Thursday morning.
