Michele Fiore denies misusing donations at Nevada hearing

Suspended Pahrump Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore denied using donations for personal expenses and testified in an appearance Monday that she believed a developer had paid for a memorial statue honoring a slain Metropolitan Police officer.

Fiore’s comments came on the first day of a hearing before the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, which charged her with three violations of conduct rules related to actions that led to a 2024 guilty verdict on conspiracy and wire fraud charges. It was the first time she had testified directly about the statue scheme.

“I can’t express to you (enough) that this case is convoluted,” Fiore said during testimony. “And now I’m not a judge because of it, and that hurts. My life has been ruined for two and a half years.”

Fiore, a former Las Vegas councilwoman, was pardoned by President Donald Trump in April 2025 after she was found guilty by a federal jury. Fiore has tried to get the charges dismissed and said previously the commission is improperly conflating the jury verdict with judicial misconduct based on actions that predated her time on the bench.

Federal prosecutors accused Fiore of raising tens of thousands of dollars for a park and statue to honor Alyn Beck, a Metropolitan Police Department officer who was shot and killed in 2014.

The statue was built, but it was paid for by developer Olympia Companies, according to previous trial testimony. Fiore spent the donations on personal expenses, including rent, plastic surgery and her daughter’s wedding, according to prosecutors.

“Of all my elected positions, this was my favorite,” Fiore said. “The most I’ve ever done for anybody is helping them in life and giving them a second chance. Never would I ever jeopardize my bench for some crap that I’m going through.”

Fiore said she and her staff solicited donations for a range of events and services and that some of the funds went toward park-related mailers, calls and community event expenses. Fiore estimated she “easily” spent at least $160,000 from her campaign on community events from July 2019 to February 2020.

Fiore said she raised money for more than just Beck’s statue. She said she never received a bill from Olympia for the statue and eventually assumed Olympia Companies chief executive Garry Goett had taken care of it.

“In my heart, I’m like, ‘I bet Gary just handled it,’” Fiore said. “That’s just what I thought. And we just kept going. … I had no idea Garry Goett was not going to give me a bill. Had he given me a bill, he would have gotten money.”

Fiore denied using donations on personal expenses and said no donor has ever contacted her asking for their money back.

When asked by her lawyer what she would do if someone asked for their money back, Fiore, without pause, said she would have reimbursed them.

“Never, never, never,” Fiore answered when asked if she ever spent donations for personal use.

Trump’s pardon did not resolve separate judicial discipline proceedings. The commission suspended her from the bench, and she remains suspended.

In April, the Nevada Supreme Court upheld Fiore’s suspension with pay. As of June, Fiore has made nearly $200,000 in salary and benefits since her July 2024 indictment and will continue receiving payments until the end of her term, unless otherwise instructed, according to Nye County spokesman Arnold Knightly.

Fiore lost her reelection bid after finishing third in the 2026 primary election, behind challengers Michael Foley and Scott Oakley.

Fiore was appointed to the post by Nye County commissioners in 2022 and was elected to a two-year term in 2024.

Commission members said the hearing would resume Tuesday morning. Fiore’s attorney, Paola Armeni, signaled during Monday’s hearing that Gov. Joe Lombardo, who donated $5,000 for the Beck memorial, could be called to testify.

Drew Galang, communications director for Lombardo’s office, said in an emailed statement the governor “indicated his willingness to participate in the proceedings.”

“However, over the weekend, our office was notified that his participation was no longer requested,” Galang said.

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X.