A judge in New York has set a December date for Steve Bannon’s role in the film “We Bbuild a wall” Fundraising fraud case in court Wednesday, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, is due to go on trial on December 9, shortly after he leaves office. four months in federal prison After being convicted of contempt of Congress in connection with a January 6 investigation by a House committee.
Reached for comment, Bannon’s attorney, John Carman, said his client “appreciates the justice of the court in allowing a delay that will allow him to contribute to his defense.”
Bannon has been accused of defrauding donors who gave money to the nonprofit group We Build the Wall to build a wall on the southern border of the United States in 2022. He has pleaded not guilty to charges including money laundering, conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office successfully prosecuted Trump this year for making false business statements. opened an investigation Bannon’s alleged involvement in the fraud after Trump pardoned him on charges related to the same scheme by federal prosecutors. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes, not state crimes.
Bragg’s office alleges that Bannon, a longtime conservative strategist, misled donors by promising that the money raised would fund a wall along the southern border. Instead, prosecutors say the money was used to line the pockets of Brian Kolfage, president of an organization not named in the Bannon indictment. Kolfage pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars from the scheme, the indictment alleges.
Prosecutors allege Bannon knew the group had publicized Kolfagen, who told Donors he received “zero dollar salary, no compensation.” Bannon repeated those claims at a June 2019 fundraiser, saying, “Remember, all the money you give goes toward building the wall,” according to court documents.
According to the indictment, Kolfage was paid a $100,000 down payment and $20,000 in monthly payments, along with more than $250,000 in “secret salary payments.” He pleaded guilty to federal charges and was sentenced 51 months in prison in April 2023 for his role in the fundraising scheme.
Bragg said Bannon “acted as the architect of a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud thousands of donors across the country, including hundreds of Manhattan residents,” during the indictment.
“It’s a crime to profit by lying to donors, and in New York you will be held accountable,” he said.