In federal elections in the United States, straw donor schemes are illegal under 52 U.S.C.
In a 33-page report, lawyers at the Federal Election Commission found "extensive evidence" that Boston’s Thornton Law firm likely used a phony program to repay their law firm's partners for political donations, but the case was dismissed after commissioners deadlocked 2-vs-2 on whether to pursue it.
“While our investigation did not find sufficient evidence to support a criminal charge, we are recommending enhancements to current state campaign finance laws to address the ambiguities in the law that gave rise to these allegations”, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.
[5] In 2014, Dinesh D'Souza a far-right political commentator, filmmaker, and conspiracy theorist, was charged with and convicted of reimbursing others $20,000 for donations to his friend, the 2012 Senate candidate Wendy Long, a New York Republican.
[7] In 2016, Jeffrey E. Thompson was sentenced to three months in prison, three years of probation, and a $10,000 fine for the illegal funding through straw donors of several political candidates, including Hillary Clinton in her 2008 presidential bid and Vincent Gray in his 2010 run for mayor of Washington, D.C.[8]