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Anton Lazzaro, the 32-year-old Minnesota GOP donor, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for trafficking on Wednesday, August 9. In March 2023, he was found guilty of grooming girls with gifts, alcohol, and money in exchange for s*x. Lazzaro was charged with seven counts involving “commercial s*x acts” with five girls ages 15 and 16 in 2020.
Trigger Warning: This article contained mentions of s*xual assault. Reader discretion is advised.
Lazzaro was arrested in 2021 for conspiring with a St. Thomas student Gisela Castro Medina to recruit s*x trafficking victims. Lazzaro, a well-connected Republican GOP donor who was pictured with Donald Trump and Mike Pence, was accused of directing Medina to recruit financially and emotionally vulnerable teens who would have s*x with him in exchange for money.
The investigation into Anton Lazzaro reportedly began after authorities received a tip from a victim and her parents saying she had been trafficked. During the trial, prosecutors revealed that Lazzaro sent Ubers to pick up the 16 and 17-year-old girls, who were paid in cash, designer bags, and vape pens, and take them to his residence in the Hotel Ivy for s*x.
The case against Anton Lazzaro wreaked havoc for Republicans after his close ties with the then chair of the Minnesota Republican party, Jennifer Carnahan, emerged.
Lazzaro, who was well connected with several Minnesota Republicans as the founder of the GOP PAC Big Tent, reportedly established strong ties with multiple Minnesota lawmakers. Most prominent among them was his close bond with Carnahan, who was forced to resign after many lawmakers accused her of having prior knowledge of the GOP donor's crimes.
Anton Lazzaro hailed from a wealthy Los Angeles Suburban family
Anton Lazzaro, a scion of a successful family, reportedly grew up in a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles. The 32-year-old’s grandfather, Anton Joseph Lazzaro, was a renowned administrator at the University of Southern California.
The GOP donor who has donated over $200,000 to Republican campaigns described himself as an entrepreneur. Lazzaro made money through family wealth and created eight companies in foreign currency speculation, political fundraising, marketing, and advertising.
However, shortly after the allegations against the GOP donor emerged, an FBI investigation revealed that most of the companies were defunct and only existed on paper. Fox News reported that almost all of his business only existed on paper, and the numbers associated with his ventures had been disconnected.
During the trial, Anton Lazzaro maintained his innocence, saying the allegations were politically motivated
In the case that was likened to Jeffery Epstein’s crimes, prosecutors requested a 30-year sentence for Lazzaro. In a statement cited by AP, prosecutor Laura Provinzino said:
“He’s a s*x trafficker. One who has shown absolutely no remorse. He has accepted no responsibility for his crimes.”
Prosecutors said that Lazzaro, who called the charges against him politically motivated, has denied any wrongdoing throughout the trial. However, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz sentenced him to 21 years for a charge that carried a minimum sentence of 10 years, with a maximum of life in prison.
Shortly after the suspect was sentenced, Defense attorney Daniel Gerdts said they plan to appeal the ruling.
