Steve Bannon charged with money laundering in wall fundraiser

NEW YORK - Steve Bannon, a former advisor of former President Donald Trump, was charged with money laundering and conspiracy charges after surrendering to authorities at the Manhattan district attorney's office.

Bannon appeared in state court in Manhattan on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A judge released him after the arraignment.

"It's all nonsense," Bannon said after he left court. "They will never shut me up."

The state criminal case resembles an earlier attempted federal prosecution, in which Bannon was accused of duping donors who gave money to fund a wall on the U.S. southern border in a crowdfunding campaign known as "We Build the Wall" that raised more than $25 million.

Prosecutors say that while Bannon promised donors all the money they gave would go to building the wall, he was involved in funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to two other people involved in the scheme.

"It is a crime to turn a profit by lying to donors, and in New York, you will be held accountable," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a prepared statement. "As alleged, Stephen Bannon acted as the architect of a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud thousands of donors across the country – including hundreds of Manhattan residents. Each and every day, my Office works to ensure that when New Yorkers hand over money, they know where it’s going and who it’s going to – without any smokescreens or false promises."

At a news conference, Bragg said, "The simple truth is: It is a crime to profit off the backs of donors by making false pretenses."

Defendant Information: 

STEPHEN K. BANNON

Charges:
Money Laundering in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony, two counts
Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E Felony, two counts
Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a Class E Felony, one count
Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor, one count

WEBUILDTHEWALL, INC.

Charges:
Money Laundering in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony, two counts
Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E Felony, two counts
Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a Class E Felony, one count
Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor, one count

As he was entering the building, Bannon said it was ironic that he was facing the case as a delegation from New York was at the border due to refugees being bused to the city by Texas officials.

Related: Who is Steve Bannon?

That federal case ended abruptly, before trial, when Trump pardoned Bannon.

Federal agents pulled Bannon from a luxury yacht off the Connecticut coast and arrested him on charges he pocketed more than $1 million in wall donations.

"It didn’t work then, it certainly won’t work now," the former White House strategist said. "This is nothing more than a partisan political weaponization of the criminal justice system."

Bannon, who had pleaded not guilty, was dropped from the federal case when Trump pardoned him on his last day in office in January 2021.

Two other men involved in the "We Build the Wall" project pleaded guilty in April.

In another case not covered by Trump’s pardon, Bannon was convicted in July on contempt charges for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October and faces up to two years in federal prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.