Former top White House strategist Steve Bannon was arrested today on federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The charges stem from a crowdfunding campaign meant to raise funds for construction of a southern border wall with Mexico.
Prosecutors say Bannon defrauded donors to the campaign by falsely asserting none of the funds were being used by the organizers for personal expenses.
Bannon is accused of taking at least $1 million from the “We Build The Wall” campaign to secretly pay the group’s founder, Brian Kolfage, as well as to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal expenditures.
The campaign raised more than $25 million.
Prosecutors agreed to release Bannon late today on a $5 million bond. His travel will be restricted to New York and Washington, D.C., while awaiting trial.
Bannon is the sixth senior member of President Trump’s 2016 campaign to have charges brought against them by federal prosecutors.