Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Clinton with Sant Singh Chatwa

By Tom Hayes, Apr. 17, 2014, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A wealthy hotel executive and Democratic fundraiser who supported Hilary Clinton for president pleaded guilty Thursday to charges he secretly funneled more than $180,000 in illegal campaign contributions to three unnamed candidates and coached someone to lie about it.

An informant caught Sant Singh Chatwal on tape in 2010 explaining that he believed his illegal fundraising bought him access to people in power.

Without the contributions "nobody will even talk to you," Chatwal said. "That's the only way to buy them, get into the system."

Chatwal entered the plea to evading contribution limits and witness tampering in federal court in Brooklyn as part of a plea deal. He faces a maximum of nearly six years in prison at sentencing on July 31 and must forfeit $1 million. He free on $750,000 bond secured by property in Manhattan.

Chatwal, 70, was not required to describe his crimes in court. After the plea, his spokesman passed out a written statement saying he "deeply regrets his actions and accepts full responsibility for the consequences."

U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said in a statement that Chatwal "sought to buy access to power through unlimited and illegal campaign contributions, funneling money from the shadows of straw donors."

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