In her first major interview since receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, former Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore didn’t hold back.
Speaking with Alan Stock on KXNT’s “Vegas at 8” morning show on May 1, Fiore offered a fiery defense against the fraud charges that nearly sent her to prison, claimed she was railroaded by the justice system, and pointed fingers at a former colleague who she says betrayed her.
Taking On The DOJ
Fiore, who was convicted last October on six counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy related to fundraising for fallen police officer memorials, expressed profound gratitude to President Trump for her pardon.
“I want to thank God that we’re talking about my unconditional pardon today,” Fiore told Stock during the interview. “And I want to thank President Donald J. Trump for giving me my life back.”
She didn’t stop at thankfulness, though. Fiore launched into a blistering critique of the Department of Justice, characterizing the entire case against her as politically motivated.
“Understand this co-intel pro wasn’t just an investigation. This was a criminal operation by our government run by criminals within our government,” Fiore declared, referring to what she described as a systematic campaign against her led by former Nevada U.S. Attorney Stephen Meiering.
“This guy had a personal vendetta because I talked about him back in the Bundy days and what he did wrong,” she claimed, adding that Meiering “had to use taxpayer dollars in access of close to $300,000 to pay for sexual conduct.”
Read our prior coverage: Trump Pardons Former Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore After Fraud Conviction
“No Fake Anything on My Body”
During the interview, Fiore took particular issue with claims that she used charity money for plastic surgery.
“Let me be crystal clear about this. Number one, if anyone’s ever met me or been in my presence, my body is authentically me, meaning there’s no fake anything on my body, okay?” Fiore insisted.
She explained that what prosecutors characterized as “plastic surgery” was actually a $1,700 bill paid on her personal credit card for sessions with an aesthetician:
“who was helping me trying to make my pores a little smaller because when I was younger, and even now I’m 54-year-old woman, I still, you know, as gross as it is, I still pop my pimples.”
Fiore also denied using charity funds to pay her rent or finance her daughter’s wedding, claiming the DOJ manipulated evidence:
“They took checks that were written for events and literally gone and purchasing, cashed and purchased, you know, like pallets from Walmart. And they said, ‘She cashed this $5,000 check. Oh, and then, by the way, she paid her rent, right?’ Never did they connect.”
The Victoria Seaman Connection
The most explosive part of the interview came when Fiore discussed former friend and fellow councilwoman Victoria Seaman, who Fiore claims worked with the FBI against her.
According to Fiore, when FBI agents showed up at her door at 7 a.m. on January 27, 2021, the first thing Agent Cody Fraxel said was: “Your best friend, Victoria Seaman, told me what you’ve been doing.”
“And the minute he said her name, I was relieved because I’m like, oh, great, you know, she’s a liar,” Fiore recalled.
Fiore further claimed her attorney told her the Department of Justice admitted Seaman’s claims were “unsubstantiated” but that, according to her attorney:
“Your friend was never your friend. She was always working with the FBI.”
Fiore didn’t mince words about Seaman’s character: “I mean, look at her now. She’s trying to bleach her hair blonde. I mean, it’s always over jealousy. I’ve never, it’s kind of like fatal attraction,” adding that Seaman “sued her raceway because she was riding her bike and fell in a puddle. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up.”
The comments come as Seaman has recently announced her candidacy for Clark County Commission District F against Democrat Justin Jones.
This follows a bitter feud that escalated into a physical altercation at City Hall in January 2021. Seaman filed a lawsuit claiming Fiore broke her finger, grabbed her by the hair, and threw her to the ground. Surveillance video of the alleged assault was reportedly deleted after 60 days despite public records requests.
A city-commissioned report later found both councilwomen violated code of conduct policies during the altercation.
What Now?
Despite the pardon, Fiore’s path back to her position as a Justice of the Peace in Pahrump remains complicated. Though she declared she would return to the bench immediately, she was absent from court on Monday. The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, which suspended her following her conviction, will determine whether she can resume her duties.
For her part, Fiore maintained during the interview that the statues honoring fallen officers exist, stating clearly:
“There’s three police statutes standing up because I commissioned them to be standing.”
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
