Report: Winery at St. George Owner at Center of 'Potential Election Law Violations'

Tom DeChiaro, owner of The Winery at St. George in Mohegan Lake which has been at the center of controversies for a number of years, is once again under the spotlight, according to media reports. 

The man is reportedly "in violation of the election law and potentially other New York state laws," according to an article in the Times Union paper. 

The state Board of Elections filed a determination and the findings of an investigation into DeChiaro were referred to the Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore, according to reports. 

Under a court order DeChiaro, who was one-time congressional candidate and lost a Republican primary for a Yorktown town board seat in 2011, had been allowed to host "political fundraising" events at the old stone church. Proceeds were to go toward People For Honest Government, a political action committee he formed which makes endorsements and campaign contributions for local elections.

The Journal News' Robert Merchant cited the state elections determination to have found that "receipts and expenditures of the winery were illegally being shown passing through the committee as political activity."

The political action committee (PAC) was formed after DeChiaro sued the town of Yorktown and accused town officials of corruption. The $30 million lawsuit was dismissed in 2009. 

State elections board members opened an investigation after two people complained credit card charges were traced back to the political organization, Jimmy Vielkind of the Times Union reported. 

To read the entire Times Union article, click here. To read the entire Journal News article, click here.

For further reading on Patch:

• Winery at St. George Gets Special Use Permit from Zoning Board
• Winery at St. George Becomes 'Official' Business
• Winery at St. George Owner Requests New Temporary Certificate of Occupancy
• Winery Owner Tom DeChiaro Announces Run for Yorktown Councilman
• Imported from Japan: Woven Notes Gives a Fine Performance at the Winery at St. George

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