Steve Bannon, Three Others Face Fraud Charges, Accused Of Taking 'We Build The Wall' Funds For Personal Use

Bannon (Photo: Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons)

Key TRUMP 2016 campaign advisor and radio and podcast host STEVE BANNON and three associates are facing charges of fraud in an online fundraising campaign that purported to be collecting money to pay for building a border wall between the U.S. and MEXICO but instead was allegedly used for personal uses instead. BANNON, along with another campaign organizer, BRIAN KOLFAGE, and two others, ANDREW BADOLATO and TIMOTHY SHEA, are being charged in U.S, District Court in the Southern District of NEW YORK with defrauding donors to the "We Build The Wall" campaign.

The case alleges that BANNON and KOLFAGE told prospective donors that they would not take salaries or compensation from the funds, which would be used solely to build the wall (with BANNON publicly stating, "We're a volunteer organization"), but instead took some of the $25 million collected in the campaign for personal use. BANNON, the former BREITBART NEWS chairman and SIRIUSXM "BREITBART NEWS DAILY" host who hosts the podcasts and syndicated radio show "WAR ROOM" and "WAR ROOM: PANDEMIC" as well as specials for RED APPLE MEDIA News-Talk WABC-A/NEW YORK, is being accused of taking over $1 million via his own "Non-Profit-1" organization, and KOLFAGE is accused of taking over $350,000 from the funds through BANNON's "Non-Profit-1" and another shell corporation.

BANNON was arrested early TODAY (8/20) in CONNECTICUT and is scheduled to appear before a judge this afternoon. The defendants each face one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each count carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney AUDREY STRAUSS said, “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.  While repeatedly assuring donors that BRIAN KOLFAGE, the founder and public face of We Build the Wall, would not be paid a cent, the defendants secretly schemed to pass hundreds of thousands of dollars to KOLFAGE, which he used to fund his lavish lifestyle.  We thank the USPIS for their partnership in investigating this case, and we remain dedicated to rooting out and prosecuting fraud wherever we find it.”

Inspector-in-Charge PHILIP R. BARTLETT said. “The defendants allegedly engaged in fraud when they misrepresented the true use of donated funds.  As alleged, not only did they lie to donors, they schemed to hide their misappropriation of funds by creating sham invoices and accounts to launder donations and cover up their crimes, showing no regard for the law or the truth.   This case should serve as a warning to other fraudsters that no one is above the law, not even a disabled war veteran or a millionaire political strategist.”

KOLFAGE appeared on BANNON's "WAR ROOM" podcast just YESTERDAY (8/19) to talk about the "border situation." BANNON hosts the show with RAHEEM KASSAM, JACK MAXEY, and VISH BURRA.

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