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Breaking — Steve Bannon, Brian Kolfage arrested and charged by DOJ…
www.citizenfreepress.com ^ | Posted by Kane on August 20, 2020 10:04 am

Posted on 08/20/2020 7:15:08 AM PDT by Red Badger

Steve Bannon, ‘We Build The Wall’ organizers arrested, charged with defrauding donors

Steve Bannon has been federally indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection to a crowdfunding campaign to build a border wall. Bannon was arrested this morning in Washington, D.C. on charges he and others allegedly made false representations about the “We Build the Wall campaign.”

Bannon, 66 is expected to appear in court virtually on Thursday.

Prosecutors said Bannon and others defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors to the online campaign by falsely assuring them the organizers were not taking a penny of donation money — Bannon had publicly stated, “we’re a volunteer organization.”

“Those representations were false,” the indictment said.

Bannon, Brian Koflage, 38, of Mirimar Beach, Florida, Andrew Badolato, 56, of Sarasota, Florida, and Timothy Shea, 49, of Castle Rock, Colorado, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.

The defendants allegedly defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors in connection with the crowdfunding campaign, which raised more than $25 million.

The indictment was brought by prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

“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,” acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a press release. “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.”

According to the indictment, Bannon took at least $1 million to pay personal expenses.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Government; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bannon; bannonarrested; braking; briankoflage; briankolfage; greed; guowengui; habbening; koflage; sdny; search; stevebannon; thestorm; unsealedinctemnts; webuildthewall
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To: Mr. K

“This is a BS charge and I think the charges will be dropped.”

Here is the indictment:

https://www.scribd.com/document/473068396/u-s-v-Brian-Kolfage-Stephen-Bannon-Et-Al-Indictment-20-Cr-412-0#fullscreen&from_embed

Looks damming. Even if they did skim some off the top, it looks to me they are still more successful than most charities at spending the money for the cause.


141 posted on 08/20/2020 10:01:04 AM PDT by EVO X
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To: MarvinStinson
"U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York."

They're almost as honest as the DAs in Travis county Texas.

142 posted on 08/20/2020 10:01:29 AM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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To: Balding_Eagle

It’s Bannon, not Trump.


143 posted on 08/20/2020 10:23:58 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: Red Badger

Hmmm. How did QAnon miss this in their all their prognostication?


144 posted on 08/20/2020 10:24:38 AM PDT by Izzatso
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To: fella

Yeah. No way they’re doing anything with Trump’s blessing.


145 posted on 08/20/2020 10:24:45 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Red Badger

The cw2 has to start soon.


146 posted on 08/20/2020 10:33:27 AM PDT by Phillyred
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To: glorgau

All part of The Plan. Trust Bagpipes.

Like in 2018.

They are thieves, murderers,and totalitarian Orks.

Daydreaming about the Dark Knight helping out with the President’s swamp clearing. Just because he can’t stand reading about it anymore.


147 posted on 08/20/2020 10:34:15 AM PDT by epluribus_2 (He, had the best mom - ever.)
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Comment #148 Removed by Moderator

To: reasonisfaith
It’s Bannon, not Trump. ... in order to pressure him to provide info they will use to get POTUS. Stone is free. Dungeon has a vacancy.
149 posted on 08/20/2020 10:39:24 AM PDT by epluribus_2 (He, had the best mom - ever.)
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To: bert

Maybe this was the trade for ending the Trump taxes deep sea fishing expedition. Oh, wait...


150 posted on 08/20/2020 10:43:44 AM PDT by epluribus_2 (He, had the best mom - ever.)
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To: jimfree

Now, when can we expect an investigation of the Clinton foundation ? Put a Hatian in charge.


151 posted on 08/20/2020 10:50:35 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: central_va

Steve Bannon is a big guy, and certainly he must have known that he would always be a target.


152 posted on 08/20/2020 10:55:29 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: epluribus_2

To jail Trump, they have to first jail the hard core Trump supporters.

I don’t know if the hard core supporters number thirty million or a hundred million, at this point.

Not happening!


153 posted on 08/20/2020 10:56:04 AM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: 9YearLurker
I too smell something, since it is coming from the NY Feds. So much of the bureaucracy is rogue. The best thing however, is to see how the plays out and if there is real evidence behind it. Barr has said he prosecutes on the evidence. We will see.
154 posted on 08/20/2020 11:10:42 AM PDT by gbscott
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To: Presbyterian Reporter
Exactly how does the Southern District of New York have any jurisdiction over a GoFundMe headquartered in Houston and Kolfage who I believe lives in Florida???????

Money solicited from New Yorkers; mailed into New York; deposited into New York bank accounts; etc. The federal venue statute is extraordinarily broad.

155 posted on 08/20/2020 11:14:32 AM PDT by Lurking Libertarian (Non sub homine, sed sub Deo et lege)
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To: Boogieman

Harris was a prosecutor —plenty of makeup.


156 posted on 08/20/2020 11:22:03 AM PDT by Lisbon1940 (No full-term Governors (at the time of election))
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To: epluribus_2
Maybe this was the trade for ending the Trump taxes deep sea fishing expedition. Oh, wait...

Two different prosecutors. This is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, part of the DOJ, headed by a Trump appointee. The tax case is the New York County D.A., an elected Democrat.

157 posted on 08/20/2020 11:25:15 AM PDT by Lurking Libertarian (Non sub homine, sed sub Deo et lege)
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To: dontreadthis

Isn’t that headed by Cyrus VanceJr., one of the most radical Leftists out there?


158 posted on 08/20/2020 11:27:00 AM PDT by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." A. E. van Vogt, The Weapons Shops of Isher)
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To: Zeroisanumber1

Welcome to free republic.

Oh and Obama was a zero


159 posted on 08/20/2020 11:32:43 AM PDT by HollyB
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To: MAGA_patriot
the US Postal Inspection Service making the arrest was quite a plot twist/i>

Thanks for the comment. I missed that. The non profit must have sent materials through the postal service...

160 posted on 08/20/2020 11:32:50 AM PDT by EVO X
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