Steve Bannon charged with money laundering, conspiracy

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Steve Bannon charged with money laundering, scheming to defraud, and conspiracy in ‘We Build the Wall’ fundraising fraud case. The former Trump strategist pleaded not guilty after he was arraigned on the six-count indictment. The six-count indictment also names the group WeBuildTheWall.Inc, which it says worked with Bannon on the scheme in 2019. Bannon was chair of the "advisory board" for the group, which prosecutors say duped thousands of donors by maintaining that all the money raised would go to build a wall along the southern border and not to the people running the effort. In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Bannon "acted as the architect of a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud thousands of donors across the country — including hundreds of Manhattan residents." “It is a crime to turn a profit by lying to donors, and in New York, you will be held accountable,” Bragg said. He said later at a news conference that if he is convicted, Bannon faces a maximum of five to 15 years in prison. State Attorney General Letitia James, whose office teamed up with the district attorney in the probe, said that Bannon "took advantage of his donors’ political views to secure millions of dollars which he then misappropriated" and that he "lied to his donors to enrich himself and his friends." As these are New York state charges, there is nothing Donald Trump do to pull Bannons ass out of the fire this time.