Steve Bannon Accepts Guilt in Border Wall Fraud Case
The former adviser to Trump will avoid incarceration but must remain out of legal trouble for the next three years to evade further penalties.
Steve Bannon, a conservative podcast host, entered a guilty plea in a New York State court on February 11 for a fraud charge related to efforts to privately fund the construction of the border wall.
At 71 years old, Bannon struck a plea deal with prosecutors to evade prison time. In exchange, he received a conditional three-year discharge, mandating that he stay out of legal issues to prevent additional penalties.
Upon exiting the courtroom, Bannon expressed to reporters that he felt “like a million bucks.”
The former Trump adviser initially pled not guilty to a series of charges, including money laundering, conspiracy, and a scheme to defraud, linked to misleading donors of the nonprofit he co-founded, We Build the Wall Inc.
This organization managed to raise over $15 million from contributors nationwide through a crowdfunding platform, assuring that all funds would be allocated towards constructing the southern border wall.
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The initiative was conceptualized by Brian Kolfage, a decorated Vietnam veteran. In 2023, Kolfage was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for his involvement in the fraudulent scheme.
Kolfage assured donors that he would “not take a penny” for himself but ultimately pled guilty to tax and wire fraud as well as conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“I made a promise not to personally benefit and I broke that promise,” Kolfage admitted to Judge Analisa Torres in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York at that time.
Kolfage was ordered to pay $25 million in restitution to the donors, along with financier Andrew Badolato, another co-defendant who also pled guilty, receiving a three-year prison sentence.
A federal jury found Colorado businessman Timothy Shea guilty for his involvement, sentencing him to five years and three months in prison and requiring him to forfeit $1.8 million and pay restitution of the same amount.
Though Bannon initially faced charges in that federal case, he received a pardon from Trump during the final moments of his presidency. A year later, in 2022, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought state-level charges against Bannon.
Bannon’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, did not immediately respond to queries from The Epoch Times for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
