New York state authorities indicted White House chief strategist Steve Bannon Thursday for allegedly defrauding “We Build The Wall” donors in a supposed effort to construct a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
A New York State Supreme Court indictment charged Bannon and “We Build The Wall” with two counts each of second-degree money laundering and fourth-degree conspiracy, and one count each of first-degree scheme to defraud and fifth-degree conspiracy, Manhattan District Attorney Allan Bragg announced.
Bannon, Brian Kolfage, Andrew Badolato and Timothy Shea had been federally indicted in August 2020 for alleged conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in the online fundraising campaign, which generated more than $25,000,000.
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Trump federally pardoned Bannon near the end of his term, with Kolfage ultimately pleading guilty in April to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts filing a false tax return and one of wire fraud in connection with filing a false tax return, according to CNN.
Badolato pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, while Shea pleaded not guilty, the outlet reported.
Bannon and Kolfage, a triple-amputee Air Force veteran, allegedly assured “We Build the Wall” donors Kolfage would not take money from the organization while using “sham invoices and accounts” to funnel him over $350,000.
Bannon paid for hundreds of thousands of dollars in his own personal expenses with funds he received from “We Build the Wall” through a non-profit organization he controlled, the 2020 indictment said.
Bannon was federally convicted on two contempt of court charges in July after ignoring the Jan. 6 Capitol riot Select Committee’s order to testify.
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