Del Mastro cousin and one other charged in connection with 2008 campaign

OTTAWA – Two people, including a cousin of former Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro, are facing charges in connection with donations made to Del Mastro’s 2008 election campaign.

The Commissioner of Canada Elections says David Del Mastro and Tori-Lynn Manchulenko have each been charged with knowingly concealing or attempting to conceal the identity of a campaign donor and knowingly circumventing campaign contribution limits for an individual donor.

Yves Cote announced the charges Thursday after a decision by the director of public prosecutions.

David Del Mastro, the owner of Deltro Electric Ltd., has previously denied any wrongdoing in asking employees of his firm and friends to contribute voluntarily to his cousin’s campaign.

Dean Del Mastro, who was once the prime minister’s parliamentary secretary, received a series of $1,000 contributions to his 2008 campaign from donors with ties to the Toronto-area electrical company.

The now-Independent MP and his official agent for the 2008 campaign, Richard McCarthy, each face three charges of exceeding the campaign’s spending limit and filing a false return.

Dean Del Mastro is also charged with exceeding his personal donation limit.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version identified Dean Del Mastro as a Conservative MP, when in fact he now sits as an Independent.