A Las Vegas man has pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge alleging that he duped people into making charitable donations that were instead diverted to political action committees or his own companies. Richard Zeitlin entered the plea Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. Prosecutors say Zeitlin carried out the fraud from 2017 through 2020, collecting and improperly diverting tens of millions of dollars. The 54-year-old man faces a Dec. 10 sentencing. A plea agreement he signed with prosecutors called for a prison sentence of between 10 and 13 years. He also agreed to forfeit $8.9 million, in addition to any financial penalty the judge might impose. His lawyer declined comment.
