America

Former Trump adviser charged with money laundering and conspiracy

Steve Bannon, a long-time ally of former US President Donald Trump, has been indicted on charges of money laundering, fraud and conspiracy.

Mr Bannon, 68, is accused of cheating donors to a fundraiser to help Mr Trump achieve his policy goal of building a wall on the US-Mexico border.

Prosecutors in New York allege he lied to donors and diverted some of the money to two associates.

The former White House chief strategist has said he is being persecuted.

Mr Bannon surrendered to authorities in New York state on Thursday as a grand jury unsealed six criminal charges against him.

Handcuffed as he walked past reporters into court, the right-wing podcaster vowed to fight back.

“This is what happens in the last days of a dying regime,” he said. “They’ll never shut me up. They’ll have to kill me first.”

According to the indictment against him, Mr Bannon told donors he was “kind of a volunteer” to the We Build the Wall non-profit, which raised more than $25m (£22m) from thousands of people online.

Despite his vow that “not a penny” would be pocketed by him or others, Mr Bannon is said to have diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars to two associates.

Federal prosecutors brought charges against Mr Bannon and the two men – Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato – in 2020. But while Mr Kolfage and Mr Badolato pleaded guilty to the charges, Mr Bannon received a presidential pardon on Mr Trump’s final day in office last year and was subsequently dropped from the case.

Pardons, however, apply only to federal crimes, and prosecutors in New York state pursued similar charges against Mr Bannon.

“Stephen Bannon acted as the architect of a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud thousands of donors across the country – including hundreds of Manhattan residents,” district attorney Alvin Bragg, who led the probe, said in a statement on Thursday.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office also worked on the case, added that Mr Bannon had taken “advantage of his donors’ political views to secure millions of dollars which he then misappropriated”.

Ms James said “powerful political interests” who “think they are above the law” must be held to account. Mr Bragg and Ms James, both Democrats, have also been investigating Mr Trump and his business.

As he turned himself in on Thursday morning, Mr Bannon slammed the indictment as “nothing more than a partisan political weaponisation of the criminal justice system”.

He alleged that the new charges against him were “all about 60 days” – an apparent reference to November’s midterm elections.

Separately in July, Mr Bannon was found guilty of contempt of US Congress after he defied a legal summons from the committee investigating last year’s Capitol riots.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PRESS RADIO MOBILE APP

He is due to be sentenced in that case next month and faces up to two years in jail.

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

Related Articles

Back to top button