In 2012, D'Souza contributed $10,000 to the
Senate campaign of
Wendy Long on behalf of himself and his wife, agreeing in writing to attribute that contribution as $5,000 from his wife and $5,000 from him. He directed two other people to give Long a total of $20,000 in addition, which he agreed to reimburse, and later did. At the time, the Election Act limited campaign contributions to $5,000 from any individual to any one candidate. Two years later, D'Souza pleaded guilty in federal court to one
felony charge of using a "
straw donor" to make the
illegal campaign contribution.
[32][33] He was sentenced to eight months in a
halfway house near his home in
San Diego, five years' probation, and a $30,000 fine.
[34][35] In 2018, D'Souza was issued a
pardon by President
Donald Trump.
[36]
Election finance laws are there for a reason and DD knew he was breaking the law.