Alexandria Woman Pleads Guilty In Political Campaign Embezzlement

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A former campaign treasurer for several federal candidates' campaigns pleaded guilty in an embezzlement case on Monday.

Prosecutors say Katherine Margaret Buchanan, 59, of Alexandria, was a political campaign compliance consultant for various political campaigns and political action committees for over 20 years. In federal court, Buchanan pleaded guilty to embezzling campaign funds and committing tax evasion.

Court documents did not indicate which campaigns Buchanan worked for. Rolling Stone reported that Buchanan's embezzlement scheme affected the committees of Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (D-Virginia). Federal authorities informed the committees about Buchanan potentially misappropriating money, leading to investigations and Buchanan being fired from both committees.

Buchanan typically worked as treasurer of the affected campaigns or committee. According to prosecutors, Buchanan used her treasurer access to embezzle contributions from her clients for personal use from 2020 to 2024. Buchanan used the funds to pay her credit cards, used campaign or political action committee cards for personal purchases, used funds to pay third parties for her own personal enrichment, and transferred funds from campaign or PAC bank accounts into her own bank accounts.

The embezzled funds went toward personal purchases like dining, landscaping, Peloton exercise bike, clothing, airline tickets to Italy, concert tickets and suites, chartered yacht tours, legal fees and more. Prosecutors believe Buchanan misappropriated at least $840,006.98 in contributed funds from the campaigns and committees.

While the federal case involves embezzlement from federal campaigns, ALX Now reported that Buchanan got payments from former Attorney General Mark Herring’s campaign, the One Commonwealth Political Action Committee, and former Alexandria Mayor candidate Steven Peterson's campaign between 2020 and 2024.

In addition, prosecutors say Buchanan underreported her income from 2017 to 2022 to the IRS to avoid taxes. The estimated loss from the unpaid federal taxes is $671,200.

Buchanan faces up to five years in prison for each of the charges and will be sentenced on Oct. 8.