New York, Sep 9 : Steve Bannon, who was as former US president Donald Trump’s chief of staff, has been indicted with money laundering, conspiracy and a scheme to defraud following he gave himself over to New York State prosecutors, according to local authorities.On Thursday, prosecutor released the charges of Bannon, aged 68, and We Build the Wall, Inc.A not-for-profit company based in Florida for a year-long fundraising scheme that earned more than $15 million from a multitude of donors and for laundering the profits of the scheme in order to further cover up the fraud, according to Xinhua news agency.
Both Bannon and We Build the Wall, Inc.were accused with two counts of money laundering as well as three counts of conspiracy, and one charge of scam to defraud, as part of the New York State Supreme Court grand jury indictment, as per the announcement from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
“It is illegal to make profits through deceiving donors and, in New York, you will be accountable,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“As it was claimed, Stephen Bannon acted as the creator of a multi-million-dollar scheme to fraudulently defraud hundreds of supporters across the nation – including hundreds of Manhattan residents,” Bragg said.
“Bannon profited of his donors political views to gain millions of dollars that he later misused.
Bannon was a fraud to his donors to gain wealth for himself and his associates,” added New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Bannon was in court before an State Supreme Court judge in Manhattan and was not found guilty, according to an article from ABC News.
“This is just a partisan , political use of the criminal justice system” he had said in an interview on Tuesday in reference to the charge.
The former aide, along with three other individuals were charged by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for a variety of crimes relating to We Build the Wall’s scheme to raise money in August 2020 .Later, he was pardoned by President Trump on January 20, 2021.
Furthermore, Bannon was convicted of contempt of Congress in July and is scheduled to be sentenced later in the year.
