Ben Suarez trial begins begins today in Federal Court.

Nancy Suarez, wife of North Canton businessman Ben Suarez, greets supporters as they arrive at Federal Court Wednesday, June 4, 2014. (Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer)

A former employee of Suarez Corporation Industries says he knew the campaign donations were illegal.

Ben Suarez faces a 10-count indictment, including charges of violating campaign finance reform. His company, Suarez Corporation Industries, is a codefendant in the trial.

Former SCI chief financial Michael Giorgio said the company reimbursed employees for contributions to U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who was running for U.S. Senate in 2011. The campaign reimbursements were labeled as operating expenses on the company's budget.

"It was treated as if it were a bonus to these people," Giorgio said. "We treated these as bonuses because I had no idea these would ever be repaid." According to witness testimony, they were not repaid until the FBI started its investigation.

When asked why the payments were not coded as reimbursement for political contributions, Giorgio said "That's improper. That's illegal."

The former CFO also described the conversation where Saurez asked him to recruit employees to give $100,000 to Mandel's campaign. According to evidence, Mandel's campaign faxed Suarez on May 13, asking for his friends and family to donate $100,000.

"We're going to get caught and I'm telling him that," Giorgio said. While he said he was uncomfortable finding donors again, he agreed to do it because "The boss asked me."

Giorgio said the SCI employees knew he was asking for the contributions on behalf of Suarez, the company's owner.

"I called Ben and told him we got all the checks in order to make the campaign contributions."

Giorgio pleaded guilty in the case last month. If he corporates with federal prosecutors, they can recommend to the judge his sentence be reduced.