Former Lexington County GOP chairman charged with stealing thousands from party, rotary club

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)- A former Lexington County Republican Party chairman is facing several charges after authorities say he stole more than $60,000 from the party.

Craig Thomas Caldwell, 42, was charged with two counts of breach of trust with fraudulent intent, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced Friday.

Caldwell served as the chair of Lexington County GOP from 2016 through April 2023.

During that time, authorities allege he stole $61,591 from the party’s bank account and transferred the funds into his personal account. The transfers happened between 2018 and 2023.

An arrest warrant states that Caldwell admitted that he falsified monthly treasurer’s reports to submit to other party members in order to cover up the unlawful transfers.

A second warrant indicates that Caldwell also stole more than $52,000 from the Lexington Rotary Club Foundation between May 2023 and May 2024 in the form of 11 checks he wrote to himself while serving as the foundation’s treasurer.

He reportedly attempted to hide the withdrawals by not entering the checks into the foundation’s online accounting software.

SLED conducted the investigation at the request of the Lexington County Republican Party.

Caldwell was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center.

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