Ex-Senator Convicted in Campaign Fraud

0:00It's March 28th. This is Hartford News Today, local news powered by AI. A former Connecticut State Senator from Bridgeport took a major hit in federal court. Forty-three-year-old Dennis Bradley Jr. got convicted by a new Haven jury on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of. Straight up wire fraud. This all ties back to his 2018 run for the 23rd District Synod seat, where he's scheme to rip off the state's public campaign, finance program. The hustle went down like this, Bradley and his crew threw a big launch bash at a Bridgeport restaurant on March 15th, dropping over seven. Thousand dollars of his own cash on food, drinks, music, and more, way past the $2,000 personal spending cap. To dodge the rules, they called it a thank you party for his law firm, fake donation dates, and hid the whole thing in filings to the election, commission. That deception paid off at first. Officials handed his campaign, $84,140 in public funds for the Democratic primary, which

1:03he won with $55% of the vote. A citizen tip sparked an investigation, but he still pulled off the general election win on November 6th. Officials denied him another $95,710 grant after spotting the lies. Now Bradley's out on a $300,000 bond, waiting for sentencing, facing up to 20 years per count. His campaign treasurer, Jessica Martinez, already copped a plea and got sentenced, while a volunteer who helped out is pleading guilty and awaiting her turn. This case shines a light on how public election cash can get twisted, reminding everyone that even winners on the ballot answer to the law, eventually.