GOP Lawmaker Charged With Fraud Resigns After Pushing Anti-Fraud Legislation
Utah state Rep. Trevor Lee faces accusations of forging documents for a home loan, a stark contrast to his legislative efforts against fraud.
Utah Republican state Rep. Trevor Lee has resigned from the legislature after being charged with fraud himself. The Utah Attorney General's Office filed criminal charges against Lee on Monday, accusing him of forging documents and engaging in fraud to obtain a home loan.
Lee had previously championed legislation aimed at combating unemployment fraud and publicly supported efforts to expose fraud scandals. Prosecutors allege that Lee requested cash advances totaling $93,000 from the CEO of a Utah water company to show increased income for his home purchase. According to the charging document, Lee offered to secure a government contract with Hill Air Force Base for the CEO's company in return.
Another company claimed that Lee improperly used an offer letter to inflate his reported income. Prosecutors stated that Lee devised a scheme to obtain a $1 million home loan by false pretenses, submitting fraudulent documents including a forged employment contract and a loan application that overstated his income.
Investigators reported that Lee admitted during an interview to forging the signature on the employment contract and knowingly misrepresenting his income in the offer letter.
Lee's social media activity included praise for Nick Shirley, a content creator known for his investigations into alleged fraud involving Somali-run child care centers and other publicly funded programs in Minnesota. Lee posted supportive messages for Shirley, calling him a potential factor in preventing a presidential candidacy and offering assistance when Shirley faced filming fees at the Utah state capitol.
Lee also introduced legislation in 2023 and 2024 intended to curb unemployment assistance fraud. He resigned from the legislature shortly after the charges were filed, citing personal circumstances that required his attention and prevented him from adequately serving his constituents.
Even before the fraud charges, Lee's tenure in the legislature was nearing its end, as he had lost his Republican primary election in June. Lee did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.