The Nevada woman known as "Lady Trump" after her failed run for office has asked a judge for a new trial, alleging that her conviction on wire fraud wasn't fair.
Michele Fiore was convicted in October on six counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charges stem from about $70,000 in fundraising for a memorial statue for slain police officers, which prosecutors contend Fiore pocketed, Courthouse News Service reported. According to prosecutors, the money for the statue ended up going to personal expenses such as rent, travel, and her daughter's wedding.
Fiore briefly ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 2022 before dropping out and instead pursuing a failed campaign for state treasurer, 8 News Now reported.
Fiore, who is scheduled for sentencing in April, argued that she deserves a new trial due to numerous "errors." She also called the FBI investigation "sloppy and shoddy." During the trial, Fiore's daughter Sheena Siegel was called by the defense.
Siegel had an immunity agreement with the government, but prosecutors did not call her a witness. Instead, the defense called her and the immunity agreement was withdrawn as prosecutors said it was violated by her testimony. Siegel then had to invoke her 5th Amendment right not to incriminate herself, and the judge struck her previous testimony.
"The striking of Ms. Siegel's testimony was extremely prejudicial," Fiore states in her motion, adding that Siegel could "establish that monies collected were in fact utilized for charitable events in contradiction to the Government's position that all money was used for personal reasons."
Fiore previously served as a Las Vegas councilwoman and as mayor pro tem. Fiore was appointed justice of the peace in 2022; she was suspended from that position after she was indicted in July 2024. She gained the nickname "Lady Trump" for her political positions and support of President Trump, the Daily Mail reported.
