On Tuesday, Steve Bannon, a long-time associate of former President Donald Trump, confessed to committing felony fraud in a significant court case. The charges stemmed from his involvement in defrauding donors who were contributing funds for the construction of a border wall along the southern United States border. As part of the plea deal reached in a New York criminal court, the 71-year-old Bannon agreed to a conditional discharge and forfeited his right to file an appeal.
Following his guilty plea, Bannon received a sentence of three years of conditional discharge. This verdict included stipulations such as prohibiting him from holding any positions as an officer or director in charitable or fundraising organizations in New York State. Additionally, he is prohibited from managing assets for charitable groups. Should Bannon breach the terms of the agreement, he could face a sentence ranging from 1 1/3 to 4 years of imprisonment.
During the court proceedings, Judge April Newbauer sought confirmation from Bannon that he comprehended the terms of the agreement. Bannon responded affirmatively, indicating his understanding. In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg underlined that the resolution aimed to safeguard New York’s charitable sector and the contributions made by its residents from fraudulent activities.
Not showing remorse after the court hearing, Bannon criticized Bragg and State Attorney General Letitia James, labeling them as an “existential threat” to the Trump administration. He urged the immediate initiation of a criminal investigation against James and Bragg by Attorney General Pam Bondi for their actions against President Trump.
Bannon was initially charged in a separate case related to the same scheme by federal prosecutors in August 2020. Despite pleading not guilty, he was later pardoned by Trump in the final hours of his first term in office. However, prosecutors from Bragg’s office filed charges against Bannon in August 2022, accusing him of six counts, including money laundering, conspiracy, and fraud.
The indictment alleged that Bannon and his associates deceived donors who contributed over $15 million in 2019 towards constructing the border wall during Trump’s presidency. Prosecutors maintained that Bannon misused funds intended for the wall project, diverting more than $1 million to the president of the organization overseeing the construction.
With a trial scheduled for March 4 looming ahead, Trump’s authority to pardon Bannon was limited as the charges were at the state level, not federal. Notably, Bannon previously spent four months in jail for contempt of Congress after refusing to provide testimony to a House select committee investigating the events around the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots. Records revealed Bannon’s numerous discussions with Trump before or on the day of the riots.
