He would have embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to support the iconic project of the Trump presidency to erect a wall on the Mexican border: Steve Bannon, ex-adviser to the American president, was indicted and arrested Thursday, bad news for Trump in the middle of the campaign for his re-election.
The one who was one of the architects of the New York tycoon’s presidential campaign in 2016, is accused of having – along with three other officials of the “We Build The Wall” page on the platform GoFundMe – Embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover “personal expenses,” Manhattan Federal Prosecutor Audrey Strauss said in a statement.
From the White House, Donald Trump, who continues to make the construction of the wall a campaign theme for the 2020 presidential election, reacted by saying “know nothing about this project”.
Currently ahead in the polls by his Democratic rival Joe Biden, the Republican president added that he “had not had contact with him (Steve Bannon) for a very long time”.
After internal conflicts, the founder of the site close to the American far-right Breitbart News, initially very influential, had to leave the White House in August 2017.
At 66, Steve Bannon – who has traveled extensively in Europe since 2017, in an attempt to bring together the European far-right parties, notably appearing alongside Marine Le Pen during a National Front congress in 2018 – joined thus six members of the entourage of the American president, such Roger Stone, Paul Manafort or Michael Cohen, indicted and condemned.
The American president commuted in July the 40-month prison sentence imposed on his friend Roger Stone, a decision described as “abuse of power” by the Democrats.
“Volunteer”
According to the Manhattan prosecutor, the embezzlement of “We Build The Wall” – which raised more than $ 25 million – began in December 2018.
While they assured donors that all the money raised through the site would be used to erect the wall – a symbol of Donald Trump’s policy of hardening migration – Mr. Bannon and the three other officials embezzled some of the funds, notably through false invoices, she added.
Mr. Bannon, who publicly presented himself as contributing as a “volunteer” to this project, used for these embezzlements a non-profit organization through which would have passed a million dollars, according to them.
Mr. Bannon was scheduled to be presented to a New York federal judge during the day. He will face two counts of fraud and money laundering, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Were also arrested and charged, for the same counts, according to the prosecutor: Brian Kolfage, 38, a former US Air Force and founder of “We Build The Wall”, Andrew Badolato, 56, and Timothy Shea, 49.
The first two were due to appear before federal judges in Florida on Thursday, while Mr. Shea was due in federal court in Colorado.
All are accused of having used hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover personal expenses such as hotel, travel, or consumer goods purchases.
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