Indictment: Congressman spent campaign funds on $1,500 in Steam games [Updated]

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) says his son spent over $1,300 of campaign funds on Steam games. (credit: David Brooks / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Update: August 21, 2018 In a 47-page indictment today, federal prosecutors formally charged Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and his wife Margaret with wire fraud, falsifying records, campaign finance violations, and conspiracy involving $250,000 of campaign funds. That includes $1,528.68 spent "at Steam Games on video games" in 2015, according to the criminal complaint.

Margaret Hunter claimed at one point those purchases were "personal" and put on the campaign credit card in error, according to the documents. The campaign later promised in FEC reports that the Hunter family would pay back over $1,300 in Steam purchases from personal funds for this reason. But in 2016, according to the charging documents, Margaret Hunter falsely told her bank that the Steam charges were "fraudulent" and received a $1,302 credit for the purchases.

The indictment also alleges the Hunters used campaign funds for lavish personal spending on vacations, clothing, food and drink, salon trips, dental work, and more while concealing this spending from the FEC and investigators.

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