Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon is expected to surrender on state charges regarding federal fraud to authorities in New York on Thursday.
Ex-PresidentDonald Trump pardoned Bannon in January 2021, but state investigations are not affected by a federal pardon.
Bannon was indicted in August 2020 for fraudulently collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors in an effort to boost the “We build the wall” campaign.
He ended up raising more than $25 million, but some of that money was allegedly used to pay for Bannon’s personal expenses and for the help of a certain co-conspirator. Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato, who worked with Bannon on the conspiracy effort, pled guilty to one and two counts of conspiracy, respectively.
“Just days after being swatted three different times by deranged thugs from New York City inspired by the Biden Administration to assassinate me by police, the Soros-backed DA has now decided to pursue phony charges against me 60 days before the midterm election because WarRoom is the major source of the MAGA grassroots movement,” Bannon wrote in a statement, referring to his podcast.
“I am proud to be a leading voice on protecting our borders and building a wall to keep our country safe from drugs and violent criminals,” he added. “They are coming after all of us, not only President Trump and myself. I am never going to stop fighting. In fact, I have not yet begun to fight. They will have to kill me first.”
In a separate case, Bannon was convicted on two contempt of Congress charges for refusing to cooperate with the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, which could land him in prison for a maximum of two years. Bannon will face his sentencing late next month.
