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Shadowy companies, big bucks: Election mystery money returns

FILE - In this July 11, 2008 file photo, Frank VanderSloot, who owns Melaleuca, Inc., a healthcare products company, is seen in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Campaign money from shadowy sources is back this election. More than $4 million of it channeled to outside groups helping presidential candidates has come from unknown or masked donors. One conservative super PAC donor, Frank VanderSloot, gave $150,000 under his own name to Conservative Solutions PAC. (AP Photo/John Miller, File) FILE - In this July 11, 2008 file photo, Frank VanderSloot, who owns Melaleuca, Inc., a healthcare products company, is seen in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Campaign money from shadowy sources is back this election. More than $4 million of it channeled to outside groups helping presidential candidates has come from unknown or masked donors. One conservative super PAC donor, Frank VanderSloot, gave $150,000 under his own name to Conservative Solutions PAC. (AP Photo/John Miller, File)

By Associated Press February 3, 2016 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Campaign money from shadowy sources is back this presidential election. And more than $4 million of it channeled to outside groups helping candidates came from unknown or masked donors.

An Associated Press analysis of new campaign finance data finds more than two dozen obscure groups gave at least $50,000 to candidate-aligned super PACs during the last three months of 2015. They include family trusts and real estate holdings.

The larger contributions are a reminder of how campaign finance laws have been loosened in recent years. The changes can make it difficult to see who’s really backing candidates and what influence they might seek once elected.

Super PACs backing Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Hillary Clinton are among those who have benefited from such donors.