New York – (ECWd) –
“Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced the unsealing of an indictment charging BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA for their roles in defrauding hundreds of thousands of donors in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign known as “We Build the Wall” that raised more than $25 million. The defendants were arrested this morning. KOLFAGE will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon in the Northern District of Florida. BANNON will be presented today in the Southern District of New York. BADOLATO will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Wilson in the Middle District of Florida. SHEA will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix in the District of Colorado. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in the Southern District of New York.”
“Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, the defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction. While repeatedly assuring donors that Brian Kolfage, the founder and public face of We Build the Wall, would not be paid a cent, the defendants secretly schemed to pass hundreds of thousands of dollars to Kolfage, which he used to fund his lavish lifestyle. We thank the USPIS for their partnership in investigating this case, and we remain dedicated to rooting out and prosecuting fraud wherever we find it.”
The full press release can be viewed at this link.
The criminal indictment can be viewed below or downloaded at this link.
u.s._v._brian_kolfage_stephen_bannon_et_al._indictment_20-cr-412_0
5 Comments
Kathiann
Posted at 10:26h, 20 AugustThe SDNY does not inspire confidence and should not in any of us. This M.O. looks terribly familiar. It’s an election year. Let’s get the freaking real crooks that have spent all the taxpayer dollars for the last four years foisting the fraudulent coup attempt on the American people and the president they rightly elected.
Kathiann
Posted at 10:28h, 20 AugustLooks like another shiny thing to scandalize and distract the people. YAWN.
NiteCat
Posted at 10:28h, 20 AugustSurprise, surprise, surprise….are you??? Buckle up….
jannie
Posted at 10:38h, 20 AugustJust “par” for the course of this administration. The hiring, firing in this administration has been amazing, I’m surprised the media is finally reporting this stuff. Any other administration Democrat or Republican would have been raked over the coals ages ago.
Lyn P.
Posted at 18:54h, 20 AugustAnd what pair of “fundraisers” have defrauded the entire GLOBE out of billions for decades and still walk (stumble) around to this day spouting their own importance as if their entire careers are not a massive fraud….Let’s see NY file anything about that.