New York City Public Advocate Candidate Angela Aquino Charged With Wire Fraud

Federal authorities arrested Angela Aquino, a candidate in the 2025 New York City public advocate race, on wire fraud charges after a criminal complaint was unsealed today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

The complaint alleges Aquino devised a scheme to defraud the city’s campaign finance system and obtain public matching funds. She was taken into custody this morning and is scheduled for arraignment this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky in Brooklyn federal court, per the Department of Justice release dated May 14, 2026.

New York City’s public matching funds program multiplies small-dollar contributions from city residents at a 8-to-1 or higher ratio for participating candidates who meet signature, fundraising, and disclosure thresholds. The program typically distributes tens of millions of dollars per election cycle to qualifying municipal candidates for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president and City Council.

Aquino’s alleged conduct directly targeted those matching payments.

The charges shift Aquino from active candidate to criminal defendant. The public advocate post, which functions as the city’s ombudsman and can introduce legislation, now faces an immediate vacancy in its 2025 contest pending the outcome of the case.

Federal prosecutors must next present evidence to a grand jury for potential indictment, while the city Campaign Finance Board will determine whether any already-disbursed funds require repayment or trigger audits of other participants.

The case initiates standard post-charge procedures under federal wire fraud statutes carrying maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. It also requires the Campaign Finance Board to review its verification processes for future matching-fund claims. Courts will next set any conditions of release following arraignment.

This marks the latest federal enforcement action examining New York municipal campaign finance practices. The city’s matching funds program was expanded in 2018 to further amplify small donors after earlier cycles revealed loopholes in contribution limits and disclosure rules. The Department of Justice has previously pursued fraud cases tied to both city and state public financing systems.