A Democratic state assemblyman in Las Vegas is under investigation for allegedly misusing campaign funds and violating Nevada law by living outside of the district he represents.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Tuesday that police are looking into Alexander Assefa's personal and campaign finance records, as well as physical evidence that the state assemblyman lives outside of his Spring Valley district. Las Vegas deputy police chief Andy Walsh confirmed to the Review-Journal that the investigation is ongoing.
The news of the inquiry comes just one week before the November 3 elections, in which Assefa is on the ballot for reelection.
Investigators executed a search warrant in May and seized cell phones, computers, and other records they believe could contain evidence of transactions between Assefa’s campaign and his personal and business bank accounts. While campaign finance records indicate he’s raised $200,000 since 2018, the Review-Journal said it is unknown how much Assefa allegedly funneled toward personal expenses.
Police also searched a North Las Vegas home—which, according to court documents, Assefa's wife has owned since 2015—where Assefa allegedly resides. A source told the Review-Journal that Assefa lives in that home, rather than the apartment he listed as his residence in a sworn declaration in March.
Assefa owns several small businesses in Las Vegas, including trucking company KIB Transport LLC, which was named in the May search warrant. He was first elected to office in 2018 and faces one Libertarian and one independent challenger in next week’s election.