A man who has served as treasurer for dozens of political campaigns in Ohio over the past 40 years is facing federal wire fraud charges for allegedly stealing nearly $1 million from clients.
William Karlis, 76, is accused of writing checks to himself from his campaign account for personal use and taking steps to conceal the theft. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, the suspect is suspected of stealing $995,231 from 2008 to June 2023.
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Prosecutors said a plea deal was proposed in the case, but further details were not released.
The Ohio State Capitol in Columbus, Ohio. (Joe Soum/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“The filing of this plea agreement demonstrates Mr. Carlisse’s determination to accept responsibility and show remorse for his actions,” his attorney Mark Collins said in a statement.
“He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office and admitted his wrongdoing,” Collins said. “I can’t talk about the details or the reasoning at this time, but those questions will be answered once this case moves through the federal system.”
Prosecutors said Mr. Karlis served as financial director for more than 100 local, state and federal Republican campaigns, often serving as the sole signatory on financial statements. While serving as treasurer, he wrote himself multiple checks from candidate campaign funds and one from PAC funds, according to court documents.
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Karlis is accused of moving funds between accounts without candidates’ knowledge and falsifying corresponding campaign finance reports to conceal the theft. Karlis sold his home in 2016, allegedly to cover campaign costs and hide a deficit from theft.
