CLEVELAND, Ohio – Michael Giorgio, the CFO of Suarez Corporation Industries and right-hand man to the company's owner, Ben Suarez, pleaded guilty this morning to seven federal campaign financing charges.

The 26-page plea agreement presents a detailed description of an illegal scheme to funnel more than $200,000 in campaign contributions to U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel in 2011 and 2012.

In the plea document, Giorgio accuses Suarez of concocting a criminal plan to enlist Suarez company employees and their wives, plus several Suarez family members, to act as "straw donors" by writing $5,000 campaign contribution checks. The checks were written with the expectation that they would be reimbursed by Suarez's direct-marketing firm, Suarez Corporation Industries, Giorgio said.

"Giorgio had no doubt that Suarez also understood such contributions ... were prohibited and that Suarez thus intended to circumvent the law," the plea agreement reads.

"Suarez told Giorgio that he was authorizing Suarez Corp. Industries to reimburse the contributors in full for the amount of money they contributed, and Giorgio understood that the contributors were not expected to repay Suarez Corp. Industries," according to the plea agreement.

Giorgio told prosecutors he enlisted the company's controller to disguise the reimbursements as legal profit-sharing compensation, and to issue separate reimbursement checks for the amount of the contributions.

Only after newspaper reports of the questionable contributions became public did Suarez order Giorgio to recharacterize the compensation checks as "advances on profit-sharing," Giorgio said.

Giorgio said Suarez told him the company lawyers were unaware of the campaign contribution schemes.

The surprise guilty pleas came two weeks prior to the day Suarez, 72, and Giorgio, 62, were scheduled to stand trial in U.S. District Court. The plea bargain reached with prosecutors requires Giorgio to testify against Suarez if the North Canton entrepreneur decides to present his case for innocence to a federal jury.

Suarez's direct-marketing firm, Suarez Corporation Industries, also is charged in the case.

The plea bargain calls for Giorgio, of Cuyahoga Falls, to receive about 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 years in prison, and to pay up to a $250,000 fine, depending on his level of cooperation with prosecutors.

U.S. District Court Judge Patricia Ann Gaughan scheduled Giorgio's sentencing for Sept. 23. He will remain free on bond until then. Defense lawyer Ralph Cascarilla asked the judge to delay the sentencing until after he has the opportunity to testify against Suarez.

Suarez, Giorgio and the company previously pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws, of making campaign contributions in the names of another, of making illegal corporate contributions, of making false statements, of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

A company lawyer expressed dismay at the Giorgio's pleas Monday.

"The entire SCI family is saddened to learn that Michael Giorgio, as part of his guilty pleas, has acknowledged a pattern of his own dishonesty and criminal conduct," said attorney Ian Friedman.

"SCI prides itself on conducting business with integrity at all times. Mr. Giorgio's conduct has greatly disappointed all of the SCI employees and their families," Friedman said.

In pretrial documents, prosecutors said they expected Suarez and Giorgio to accuse the U.S. Attorney's office of waging a politically-motivated case against them.

Renacci of Wadsworth received $100,000 from Suarez and about 21 of his employees and their spouses. Mandel received $105,000 from Suarez and others at his company. Both are Republicans, and later returned the questionable campaign cash. Neither was charged with any crimes.

The judge previously ruled that prosecutors were permitted to present evidence at trial that Suarez asked several candidates to write to public officials on behalf of the company's business interests.

Mandel and Renacci agreed to write letters of support for Suarez about the same time they received the illegal campaign donations.

In response to the pleas, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern called on Mandel to "answer the questions of what he knew and when."

"Josh Mandel personally pushed Ben Suarez to raise $100,000 for his failed Senate campaign," Redfern said in a prepared statement. "Then, Mandel took over $100,000 in questionable donations and refused to answer questions about the legality of those donations. At Suarez's request, Mandel used the power of his office to attempt to threaten another state into dropping lawsuits against Mr. Suarez."

Suarez Corporation Industries is one of Stark County's largest employers. The company markets hundreds of diverse products such as Cubic Zirconia and other jewelry, collectible coins, and home products such as the Perfect Storm sweeper, the Joe Namath Grill, EdenPure space heaters, and Endless Youth and Life wellness products that promote a healthy and youthful lifestyle.