Steve Bannon to Be Charged Over Alleged Border Wall Scam … Again

Steve Bannon is expected to surrender to New York state authorities on Thursday on charges related to a fraudulent scheme to raise money for the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a report from The Washington Post.

Sources tell the Post that the former Trump adviser, who was convicted of contempt of Congress in July, that investigators plan to indict him on charges stemming from the misappropriation of more than $25 million. The money was raised by Bannon and others on behalf of “We Build the Wall,” an allegedly grassroots effort to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that didn’t result in much construction. 

While details of specific charges were not available to the Post, the scheme has landed Bannon and his associates in court before. In Aug. 2020, Bannon was charged and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Despite Bannon having been caught on video bragging about the alleged embezzlement, in one of his final acts as president, Trump included Bannon in a sweeping pardon. Presidents, however, do not have clemency jurisdiction over state crimes, the pardons for which are handled by governors. 

In April, Bannon associate Brian Kolfange pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after prosecutors alleged he had used money gathered for “We Built The Wall” effort on personal expenses such as a yacht and plastic surgery. 

In a statement released by Bannon, the War Room host decried the new charges as an attempt to cripple his media conglomerate in the days leading up to the midterm elections.

“They will have to kill me first,” Bannon wrote, vowing to prevail over this round of prosecution.