NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 The founder of Project Veritas, a conservative nonprofit known for its hidden camera stings, is under investigation by a suburban New York prosecutor鈥檚 office in the latest fallout after his ouster from the group over allegations that he mistreated workers and misspent organization funds.
The Westchester County district attorney鈥檚 office confirmed Friday it is "looking into" matters concerning James O鈥橩eefe, who was suspended in February and later fired as chairman and CEO. The Project Veritas board said he spent 鈥渁n excessive amount of donor funds鈥 on personal luxuries.
Jin Whang, a spokesperson for District Attorney Mimi Rocah, declined to discuss the subject or details of the investigation, or what potential charges, if any, O鈥橩eefe could face. Whang cautioned that investigations can have a variety of outcomes, not necessarily resulting in criminal charges.
News of the probe was first reported by The Nation.
O鈥橩eefe鈥檚 lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, blamed the investigation on 鈥渄isgruntled former employees of Project Veritas who had a problem with their CEO using too many car services to pay for fundraising efforts which paid their salaries.鈥
鈥淲e were told by the new Project Veritas CEO that the investigation had ended,鈥 Lichtman said. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 not, we will crush it in court.鈥
In a statement, CEO Hannah Giles said, "Project Veritas did not initiate any potential investigation the Westchester DA鈥檚 office may be conducting with respect to James O鈥橩eefe. However, PV cooperates with the authorities as required by law.鈥
In 2010, , which identifies itself as a news organization. Its most recent IRS filings show it brought in more than $20 million in revenue in 2021. Over the years its hidden-cameras have embarrassed news outlets, labor organizations and Democratic politicians.
The organization sued O鈥橩eefe in May, accusing him of breaching his contract with 鈥渋ncredibly troubling workplace and financial misconduct,鈥 including screaming at colleagues, exposing employees to obscene messages and having staffers run errands for him, such as picking up laundry and cleaning his boat.
Among O鈥橩eefe鈥檚 lavish spending, the organization alleges, were: $10,000 for a helicopter flight from New York to Maine; more than $150,000 on private car services over an 18-month span; and expensive stays in luxury hotel suites while other employees were forced to stay in budget accommodations.
According to the lawsuit, Project Veritas鈥 board had intended to reinstate O鈥橩eefe from his suspension 鈥渨ith appropriate safeguards,鈥 but ultimately terminated his employment in May after he claimed in media interviews that the organization had fired him to appease a pharmaceutical company over its reporting on COVID-19.
Last year, two Florida residents pleaded guilty to and other items from President Joe Biden鈥檚 daughter to Project Veritas for $40,000. As part of its investigation, the the group鈥檚 Mamaroneck, New York, offices, and the homes of some employees in 2021.
Neither Project Veritas nor any staffers have been charged with a crime, and the group has said its activities were protected by the .
