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Rulli defends hiring man at center of alleged East Palestine fraud scheme in his Congressional office
Congressman Mike Rulli is standing by a decision to hire a man who was forced to repay tens of thousands of dollars as part of an alleged fake charity scheme set up purporting to assist the residents of East Palestine in his Congressional office.
3 hrs 52 mins ago
Updated: 2 hrs 4 mins ago
By J. Breen Mitchell
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Congressman Mike Rulli is standing by a decision to hire as his congressional communications director a man who was forced to repay tens of thousands of dollars as part of an alleged fake charity scheme set up purporting to assist the residents of East Palestine in the immediate aftermath of the 2023 train derailment.

Mike Peppel is now serving in Rulli's congressional office after settling civil litigation with the Ohio Attorney General's office last year over his role as cofounder of Ohio Clean Water Fund.

That fund collected nearly $149,000 from donors seeking to help East Palestine residents after chemicals were released into their community following the Norfolk Southern train derailment and subsequent "vent and burn" that sent a plume of black, toxic smoke into the atmosphere, sparking health worries, business closures and mountains of litigation .

The fund solicited donations from people claiming they were working in conjunction with the Second Harvest Food Bank, who had no affiliation with Peppel or the group. About $10,000 was donated to the Food Bank, but not the remaining funds.

Peppel, along with two other defendants, Isaih Wartman and Luke Mahoney of WAMA Strategies, were taken to court by the Ohio Attorney General's office over the scheme and eventually settled the case in order to avoid a prolonged and expensive court battle.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wartmne and Mahoney both agreed to pay $22,000 to the food bank, along with $3,000 in investigative costs and fees.

Peppel was given three days to pay a $25,000 civil penalty, as well as agree to a lifetime ban on starting, running or soliciting money for any charity in the state of Ohio.