Ashfield District Council leader Jason Zadrozny has been found guilty of fraud and tax evasion.
Zadrozny, of Stanton Hill, was accused of setting up a fake heritage group to defraud Nottinghamshire County Council out of thousands of pounds.
Prosecutors also alleged he failed to pay tax on four rental properties.
The 46-year-old, who served as an Ashfield Independents councillor on the county council, was found guilty of nine counts of fraud and four counts of tax evasion.
The verdicts came after a jury at Northampton Crown Court had deliberated for nearly 11 hours.
Zadrozny was told by the judge he will be sentenced on 27 November, and was “at risk of an immediate custodial sentence”.
Thanking jury members for their “care and attention” during the trial, the judge added the council leader would be given unconditional bail until his sentencing hearing.
During the trial, jurors were told Zadrozny had set up the Ashfield Heritage Society (AHS) in 2018 before applying for funding from Nottinghamshire County Council, which he then transferred into his personal account.
Prosecutors said he also failed to pay tax on four rental properties.