DNC loses $29,000 to email scam impersonating new chair

The Democratic National Committee lost $29,000 in February 2025 to a scammer who impersonated its newly appointed chairman, Ken Martin, via email, according to federal records and committee officials. The incident, which occurred just days after Martin assumed his role, was publicly detailed in a 2025 letter to the Federal Election Commission and confirmed by a DNC spokesperson.

An unidentified fraudster sent an email to a DNC staffer pretending to be Martin, officials said. The staffer, who is no longer employed by the committee, processed a payment of $29,000 to the scammer. The unauthorized transaction was identified within minutes and reported to the committee's bank, Wells Fargo. However, the DNC was able to recover only $7,000 of the stolen funds, resulting in a net loss of $22,000.

In a statement, DNC spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said the organization takes its duty to protect donor funds seriously. She characterized the incident as a one-off mistake that was promptly caught and addressed, adding that no similar issues have occurred since. The committee reported the theft to law enforcement and informed the FEC that it was taking further steps to prevent future events.