This is the Worst Corruption Scandal in Vermont History

Americans are growing less trusting of their political institutions. Per a Gallup poll, the vast majority of Americans have “some,” “very little,” or “no” confidence in congress and the presidency.

This distrust in American politics likely stems, at least in part, from the litany of scandals that have ensnared civil servants at every level. While misconduct at the national level, like Watergate or President Bill Clinton’s extramarital affair, tend to get more attention, corruption has been found at the state level in every part of the country.

While these scandals are each unique, they all have some common DNA — someone with some amount of power from the public position they hold using that power to benefit themselves or their family. Regardless of location or political affiliation, it seems that all types of American officials are susceptible to malfeasance.

In some instances, these scandals are simple cases of politicians accepting bribes in exchange for promoting favorable legislation for a business or an individual. In others, the scandals are of officials taking funds meant to help the community and spending it lavishly on themselves, buying houses, cars, and vacations. Still others are more complex ordeals, involving blackmail, false accusations, extramarital affairs, and sometimes even murder.

In 2017, a program created to stimulate the economy through investment by immigrant entrepreneurs who could eventually get green cards was scrapped after two developers in the state were accused of committing fraud. Ariel Quiros and Bill Stenger were accused of misusing $200 million of the $350 million raised from immigrant investors for several projects through the visa program.

This mass amount of money was supposed to fund three different projects. By 2016, the 400 investors in the various unfinished projects had yet to receive their respective green cards. In 2019, Quiros pleaded guilty to fraud charges and is awaiting sentencing. Stenger is set to stand trial in October 2021.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed local news reports, media coverage, and other historical documents to find the worst corruption scandal in the history of each state. This is the biggest corruption scandal in each state’s history.