Feds want GOP official's house

WASHINGTON, June 7 (UPI) -- The treasurer of the National Republican Congressional Committee paid the mortgage on his Maryland home with stolen money, federal prosecutors said Friday.

The allegations were made in court papers filed seeking forfeiture of the house in Bethesda, The Washington Post reported. Prosecutors said Christopher Ward, who was dismissed in January, often diverted money from the committee to his personal use when he had to make payments on his mortgage or for remodeling.

The committee asked the FBI to begin an investigation after Ward allegedly admitted faking audits on NRCC accounts. He has not been charged with a crime, the newspaper said.

Prosecutors said Ward took money from accounts set up for the President's Dinner, the National Republican Senatorial Committee's major fundraising event. He allegedly paid almost $200,000 in contractors' bills with committee money and diverted $72,000 to his mortgage payments.

Federal investigators say Ward's embezzlement dates back at least to 2003.