President Trump’s former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon pleaded not guilty to charges that he allegedly defrauded donors in a $25 million “We Build the Wall” scam.
On Thursday morning, prosecutors unsealed indictments against Bannon, Brian Kolfage, Andrew Badolato, and Timothy Shea, individuals who led the fundraiser in efforts to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. All four men were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which could amount to 20 years in prison.
“As alleged, the defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction,” said U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in a statement.
U.S. Postal Service agents arrested Bannon at approximately 7:15 a.m. while he was on a $28 million yacht off the Connecticut coast.
The indictment says Bannon and others siphoned over $1 million from the fundraiser for personal enrichment.
