Former Sen. McCann pleads guilty to wire fraud

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A former state legislator and gubernatorial candidate has pled guilty to wire fraud after improperly spending campaign funds.

Court documents confirm former Central Illinois legislator Sam McCann pled guilty on all counts Thursday afternoon after appearing several days in court this week.

McCann served in the Senate as a Republican from 2011 to 2019. He ran as a third-party candidate under the Conservative Party for the 2018 governor election, and received around 4.2 percent of the vote.

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Federal investigators were looking into McCann’s campaign expenses as early as Feb. 2019. WCIA investigated McCann’s expenses in December 2019 and found $168,665 in secret payroll expenses. A spokesperson for the State Board of Elections described the expenses as “illegal” at the time.

McCann was indicted in 2021 for seven counts of wire fraud, as well as one count of money laundering and one count of tax evasion.

In that announcement, then-U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois John Milhiser said McCann engaged in a scheme to convert over $200,000 in campaign donations to pay himself and make personal purchases from May 2015 to June 2020. Additionally, the charges accused him of concealing his fraud from donors, the public, the Illinois State Board of Elections, and law enforcement.

McCann’s court date was delayed several times over the years.

The person in his former State Senate seat, Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield) said in a statement it’s important to root out corruption.

“I got into politics because I was concerned that my senator at the time, Sam McCann, was corrupt,” McClure said. “Justice was served today as McCann finally took responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s office for their outstanding work. We have to root out corruption in this state at all levels because Illinois deserves better.”

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