A former campaign staffer for a 2020 U.S. Senate candidate from Maine was found guilty this week of embezzling more than $200,000 that he had promised to invest in cryptocurrency.
Matthew McDonald was charged in 2023 with theft by deception after he was accused of taking $225,000 from Max Linn — who died in December 2021 at 62 — between April and July 2021.
McDonald had worked on Linn’s unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in 2020.
“The defendant did intentionally create or reinforce the impression that he would invest money in certain digital assets on Linn’s behalf, which impression was false and which defendant did not believe to be true, all in violation of (state law),” reads a copy of the April 2023 indictment against McDonald.
McDonald was found guilty by a jury in Hancock County Superior Court on Thursday. The two-day trial began Wednesday.
“We’re very pleased that McDonald has been found guilty, and we hope the sentencing reflects the significant financial and emotional toll these events had on Mr. Linn and his family,” attorney Alexandra Harriman said Friday in a written statement on behalf of Linn’s wife, Hanna Aquino.
McDonald’s attorney, Robert Van Horn, could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.
An attorney for Linn’s wife, Hanna Aquino, said they were was pleased with the verdict.
“We hope the sentencing reflects the significant financial and emotional toll these events had on Mr. Linn and his family,” Alexandria A. Harriman said in an email Friday night.
McDonald previously accused Linn of pointing a gun at him in a dispute over the cryptocurrency investment, an accusation that Linn denied. In October 2021, a judge granted McDonald a temporary protection order.
A U.S. District Court judge ruled in a separate civil case in November to award Linn’s estate $225,000 in relief.
Linn was a long shot in the 2020 U.S. Senate race in Maine that featured Republican incumbent Collins and Democratic challenger and former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon.
A retired financial planner from Bar Harbor, Linn self-funded his campaign and drew attention for his debate antics, including cutting up a mask in protest of COVID-19 restrictions and replying “request denied” when moderators asked him to stay on topic.
