Tags
Bannon indictments, contempt of congress, fraud, fundraising fraud, Jan 6th, Money-laundering, Steve Bannon, We Build the Wall
In short, Bannon’s an apparent crook, among other things.
Apart from the 2020 and 2022 indictments for “We Build the Wall” fraud and money-laundering, Bannon continues to delay serving prison time for Contempt of Congress.
According to the 2022 New York State indictment: “Stephen K. Bannon, 68, and his Florida-based not-for-profit corporation We Build the Wall, Inc. (We Build the Wall)” have been indicted “for a year-long fundraising scheme in which they defrauded thousands of donors across the country out of more than $15 million to line their own pockets, and then laundered the proceeds to further advance and conceal the fraud”. https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/final_indictment_bannon_release.pdf https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/attorney-general-james-and-district-attorney-bragg-announce-indictment-steve
From the original August 2020 indictment: “Some of those donors wrote directly to KOLFAGE that they did not have a lot of money and were skeptical about online fundraising campaigns, but they were giving what they could because they trusted KOLFAGE would keep his word about how their donations would be spent.” (p. 9)
(…)
“With respect to BANNON, in particular, as noted above, Non-Profit-1 received over $1,000,000 from We Build the Wall, and while some of that money was used to pay KOLFAGE, as detailed above, BANNON used a substantial portion of those donor funds for personal uses and expenses unrelated to We Build the Wall…” (p. 2) “Beginning in January 2019, BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA, the defendants, caused We Build the Wall to mislead donors, promising them repeatedly that “100 percent” of the funds would be used for construction of a wall and that KOLFAGE, in particular, would take no salary or compensation from the new organization. Contrary to the representations both to donors and to the Crowdfunding Website, KOLFAGE, BANNON, BADOLATO, and SHEA worked together to misappropriate hundreds of thousands of dollars of those funds for their own personal benefit.”(p. 5) https://www.justice.gov/d9/press-releases/attachments/2020/08/20/u.s._v._brian_kolfage_stephen_bannon_et_al._indictment_20-cr-412_0.pdf
Bannon’s “Build the Wall” colleagues are in jail right now. Earlier this year, Kolfage was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and Badolato was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
Trump pardoned Bannon before he stood trial on Federal charges. Bannon has to go to trial again next year over New York State charges. Bannon, who’s been repeatedly indicted for money-laundering, calls Ukraine aid a “money-laundering operation” for “the pimp Zelenskyy” (Oct. 4, 2023). Bannon appears to be behind the US House Republican Chaos Caucus. Ukraine and Zelenskyy should file suit against Bannon for defamation. Gaetz appears to be Bannon’s puppet and Bannon appears to be Putin’s puppet. Bannon is apparently pulling Gaetz’ strings. “Steve Bannon On Vacant Speakership: “Yesterday Was A Populist Revolt” by Editor3 October 4, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231004165655/https://warroom.org/steve-bannon-on-vacant-speakership-yesterday-was-a-populist-revolt/
Bannon appears to be the puppeteer pulling the strings of Matt Gaetz. https://web.archive.org/web/20231004152849/https://warroom.org/
“Steve Bannon’s right-wing ‘gladiator school’ booted from Italian monastery” John Haltiwanger Sep 8, 2021, 12:34 PM EDT https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-bannon-right-wing-gladiator-school-booted-from-italian-monastery-2021-9 “The Italian Council of State listed contractual failings and a lack of a financial plan as part of its reasoning to withdraw the lease.”https://www.thedailybeast.com/bannon-erupts-as-italy-blocks-nationalist-gladiator-school
From page 15 of the original indictment:
“Moreover, in addition to BRIAN KOLFAGE, the defendant, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA, the defendants, each received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donor funds from We Build the Wall, which they each used to pay for a variety of personal expenses, including, among other things, travel, hotels, consumer goods, and personal credit card debts, in addition to the payments described above to KOLFAGE.
With respect to BANNON, in particular, as noted above, Non-Profit-1 received over $1,000,000 from We Build the Wall, and while some of that money was used to pay KOLFAGE, as detailed above, BANNON used a substantial portion of those donor funds for personal uses and expenses unrelated to We Build the Wall.
25. None of these payments to BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA, the defendants, were ever disclosed to the public. Instead, the defendants repeatedly and intentionally led the public to believe that none of their donations would be used for the personal benefit of the defendants.
(…)
From page 5: “non-profit organization into which those funds could be transferred, the Crowdfunding Website would return the funds.
6. Around the same time, BRIAN KOLFAGE, the defendant, involved STEPHEN BANNON and ANDREW BADOLATO, the defendants, in the leadership of the campaign.
BANNON, a political strategist and former media executive, and BADOLATO, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, were already working together on Non-Profit- 1, which was a separate Section 501 (c) (4) organization founded by BANNON with the stated purpose of promoting economic nationalism and American sovereignty.
1. Within days of becoming involved, STEPHEN BANNON and ANDREW BADOLATO, the defendants, took significant control of the fundraising campaign’s organization and day to-day activities, including its finances, messaging, donor outreach, and general operations. Specifically, in or around late December 2018, BANNON and BADOLATO, working with BRIAN KOLFAGE, the defendant, oversaw the creation of a new Section 501 (c) (4) organization – We Build the Wall Inc. – to which they proposed that the money that had been raised by “We the People Build the Wall” could be transferred. BANNON, BADOLATO, and KOLFAGE formed We Build the Wall Inc. to continue fundraising activities relating to wall construction, with the modified purpose of funding the private construction of a wall along the southern border of the United States.
8. Moreover, BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, and ANDREW BADOLATO, the defendants, made and caused to be made a series of representations and gave assurances to the Crowdfunding Website intended to induce the Crowdfunding Website to release the donor funds to We Build the Wall.
These assurances included, among other things, written bylaws with conflict of interest provisions and compensation restrictions precluding insiders like KOLFAGE, among others, from improperly misappropriating donor funds, and a promise that “Kolfage will take no salary” and “will personally not take a penny of compensation from these donations.”
KOLFAGE, BANNON and BADOLATO also agreed that donors would have to “opt in” to having their contribution redirected from the Crowdfunding website to We Build the Wall.
The Use of We Build the Wall to Perpetrate the Fraud
9. Beginning in January 2019, BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA, the defendants, caused We Build the Wall to mislead donors, promising them repeatedly that “100 percent” of the funds would be used for construction of a wall and that KOLFAGE, in particular, would take no salary or compensation from the new organization. Contrary to the representations both to donors and to the Crowdfunding Website, KOLFAGE, BANNON, BADOLATO, and SHEA worked together to misappropriate hundreds of thousands of dollars of those funds for their own personal benefit.” https://www.justice.gov/d9/press-releases/attachments/2020/08/20/u.s._v._brian_kolfage_stephen_bannon_et_al._indictment_20-cr-412_0.pdf
“Attorney General James and District Attorney Bragg Announce Indictment of Steve Bannon for Fundraising Fraud
September 8, 2022
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg today announced the indictment of Stephen K. Bannon, 68, and his Florida-based not-for-profit corporation We Build the Wall, Inc. (We Build the Wall) for a year-long fundraising scheme in which they defrauded thousands of donors across the country out of more than $15 million to line their own pockets, and then laundered the proceeds to further advance and conceal the fraud. https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/final_indictment_bannon_release.pdf A New York State Supreme Court grand jury indictment charged Mr. Bannon and We Build the Wall with two counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony, two counts of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E Felony, one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a Class E Felony, and one count of Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor. Mr. Bannon is scheduled to be arraigned today before State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan in Manhattan at 2:15 p.m.
“There cannot be one set of rules for everyday people and another for the wealthy and powerful — we all must play by the same rules and must obey the law,” said Attorney General James. “Mr. Bannon took advantage of his donors’ political views to secure millions of dollars which he then misappropriated. Mr. Bannon lied to his donors to enrich himself and his friends. We will continue to take on fraudulent behavior in every corner of society, including white collar criminals, because no one is above the law. I thank District Attorney Bragg for his close partnership on this matter and commend the dedicated teams at the Attorney General’s Office and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their hard work.”
“It is a crime to turn a profit by lying to donors, and in New York, you will be held accountable,” said District Attorney Bragg. “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. I thank Attorney General James for her partnership, as well as the numerous attorneys, investigators, analysts, and so many more from both my office and the Attorney General’s Office that have worked so diligently to bring today’s indictment.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, from January 11, 2019, through December 31, 2019, We Build the Wall, through Mr. Bannon and others, represented that all of the money donated to We Build the Wall would be directed toward the organization’s stated purpose of building a wall on the border of the United States and Mexico using private funds. Mr. Bannon and others specifically represented that none of the donations would be used to pay the salary of We Build the Wall’s president, who stated on multiple occasions that he was taking no salary from We Build the Wall. In reality, We Build the Wall paid its president more than $250,000 in 2019, despite the organization’s promises to the contrary.
We Build the Wall also attempted to obscure those payments by laundering them through third-party entities, including another not-for-profit corporation controlled by Mr. Bannon. Mr. Bannon facilitated more than $100,000 in salary payments to We Build the Wall’s president by directing We Build the Wall to transfer money to Mr. Bannon’s organization, and then paying We Build the Wall’s president from that intermediary organization.
In August 2020, Mr. Bannon and three others were indicted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for crimes related to We Build the Wall’s fundraising scheme. On January 20, 2021, Mr. Bannon received a presidential pardon on the federal matter from former President Donald J. Trump.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) thanks District Attorney Bragg and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (DANY) for their continued partnership and collaboration.
This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Gregory Morril of OAG Public Integrity Bureau — who is cross designated as a Special Assistant District Attorney at DANY — along with DANY Assistant District Attorneys Michael Frantel and Daniel Passeser, under the supervision of Gary T. Fishman, Director of the Crime Proceeds Strike Force and Special Advisor to the Criminal Justice Division at OAG, OAG Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy, Assistant District Attorney Julieta V. Lozano, Chief of the Major Economic Crimes Bureau; Executive Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy, Special Advisor to the Investigations Division; and Executive Assistant District Attorney Susan Hoffinger, Chief of the Investigation Division.
OAG Legal Support Analysts Crystal Bisbano and Grace Koh and former Legal Support Analyst Jack Jones also assisted with the case, as did DANY Senior Financial Intelligence Unit Administrator Rosalind October, Financial Intelligence Analyst Darya Dergacheva, Paralegals Jackson Howell and Willa Grimes, and former paralegals Anna Kuritzkes and Nicholas Manriquez of the DANY Major Economic Crimes Bureau. Assistance was also provided by OAG Detective Alexandre Ramirez of the Investigations Division under the supervision of Chief Investigator Oliver Pu-Folkes, DANY investigators Jeremy Rosenberg, Supervising Rackets Investigator, and Miguel Pena and Anthony Santoro, Senior Rackets Investigators.
Additional assistance was provided at DANY by Kenneth Zorn, Forensic Accountant Investigator, under the supervision of Irene Serrapica, Principal Deputy Bureau Chief of the Forensic Accounting and Financial Investigations Bureau, and Robert Demarest, Chief of the Forensic Accounting and Financial Investigations Bureau; Borislav Vestfrid, Senior Computer Forensic Analyst, under the supervision of Steven Moran, Director of the High Technology Analysis Unit; and Olivia Savell, Privilege Review Data Specialist, under the supervision of Caroline Serino, Deputy Chief of the Privilege Review Unit and Shannon Goldberg, Chief of the Privilege Review Unit.
The OAG Investigations Division and the Public Integrity Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
Criminal charges are accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until found guilty at trial or by plea.” https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/attorney-general-james-and-district-attorney-bragg-announce-indictment-steve
“Leaders Of ‘We Build The Wall’ Online Fundraising Campaign Charged With Defrauding Hundreds Of Thousands Of Donors
Thursday, August 20, 2020
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
Brian Kolfage, Stephen Bannon, and Two Others Alleged to Have Funneled Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars From the Organization to Kolfage; All Four Defendants Allegedly Profited From Their Roles in the Scheme
Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced the unsealing of an indictment charging BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA for their roles in defrauding hundreds of thousands of donors in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign known as “We Build the Wall” that raised more than $25 million. The defendants were arrested this morning. KOLFAGE will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon in the Northern District of Florida. BANNON will be presented today in the Southern District of New York. BADOLATO will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Wilson in the Middle District of Florida. SHEA will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix in the District of Colorado. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in the Southern District of New York.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “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. 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. We thank the USPIS for their partnership in investigating this case, and we remain dedicated to rooting out and prosecuting fraud wherever we find it.”
Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett said: “The defendants allegedly engaged in fraud when they misrepresented the true use of donated funds. As alleged, not only did they lie to donors, they schemed to hide their misappropriation of funds by creating sham invoices and accounts to launder donations and cover up their crimes, showing no regard for the law or the truth. This case should serve as a warning to other fraudsters that no one is above the law, not even a disabled war veteran or a millionaire political strategist.”
According to the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
Starting in approximately December 2018, BRIAN KOLFAGE, STEPHEN BANNON, ANDREW BADOLATO, and TIMOTHY SHEA, and others, orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors, including donors in the Southern District of New York, in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign ultimately known as “We Build The Wall” that raised more than $25 million to build a wall along the southern border of the United States. In particular, to induce donors to donate to the campaign, KOLFAGE repeatedly and falsely assured the public that he would “not take a penny in salary or compensation” and that “100% of the funds raised . . . will be used in the execution of our mission and purpose” because, as BANNON publicly stated, “we’re a volunteer organization.”
Those representations were false. In truth, KOLFAGE, BANNON, BADOLATO, and SHEA received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donor funds from We Build the Wall, which they each used in a manner inconsistent with the organization’s public representations. In particular, KOLFAGE covertly took for his personal use more than $350,000 in funds that donors had given to We Build the Wall, while BANNON, through a non-profit organization under his control (“Non-Profit-1”), received over $1 million from We Build the Wall, at least some of which BANNON used to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in BANNON’s personal expenses. To conceal the payments to KOLFAGE from We Build the Wall, KOLFAGE, BANNON, BADOLATO, and SHEA devised a scheme to route those payments from We Build the Wall to KOLFAGE indirectly through Non-Profit-1 and a shell company under SHEA’s control, among other avenues. They did so by using fake invoices and sham “vendor” arrangements, among other ways, to ensure, as KOLFAGE noted in a text message to BADOLATO, that his pay arrangement remained “confidential” and kept on a “need to know” basis.
* * *
KOLFAGE, 38, of Miramar Beach, Florida, BANNON, 66, of Washington, D.C., BADOLATO, 56, of Sarasota, Florida, and SHEA, 49, of Castle Rock, Colorado, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge. Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. She also thanked the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida for their assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas Roos, Alison G. Moe, and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1]Links to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Updated August 20, 2020
Attachment
U.S. v. Brian Kolfage, Stephen Bannon, et al. indictment (20-cr-412).pdf
Click to access u.s._v._brian_kolfage_stephen_bannon_et_al._indictment_20-cr-412_0.pdf
“Colorado Man Sentenced To Prison For “We Build The Wall” Online Fundraising Fraud Scheme” Tuesday, July 25, 2023 https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/colorado-man-sentenced-prison-we-build-wall-online-fundraising-fraud-scheme
“Two Sentenced To Prison For ‘We Build The Wall’ Online Fundraising Fraud Scheme” Wednesday, April 26, 2023 https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/two-sentenced-prison-we-build-wall-online-fundraising-fraud-scheme
“Bannon pleads not guilty to N.Y. charges on ‘Build the Wall’ money laundering” September 8, 202210:55 AM ET By Ilya Marritz https://www.npr.org/2022/09/08/1121560737/bannon-surrenders-to-n-y-authorities-on-build-the-wall-money-laundering-charges
“Two Sentenced To Prison For ‘We Build The Wall’ Online Fundraising Fraud Scheme Wednesday, April 26, 2023
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BRIAN KOLFAGE and ANDREW BADOLATO were sentenced today by United States District Judge Analisa Torres. KOLFAGE was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and BADOLATO was sentenced to 36 months in prison, for their respective roles in carrying out a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign known as “We Build The Wall” by soliciting donations using false statements and then stealing the resulting donations.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato abused the trust of donors to We Build the Wall and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to line their own pockets. The defendants have now been held accountable for their criminal conduct.”
According to court filings and evidence introduced during court proceedings:
Starting in approximately December 2018, BRIAN KOLFAGE, ANDREW BADOLATO, their co-defendant TIMOTHY SHEA, and others orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors, including donors in the Southern District of New York, in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign ultimately known as “We Build The Wall” that raised more than $25,000,000 to build a wall along the southern border of the United States. In particular, to induce donors to donate to the campaign, KOLFAGE repeatedly and falsely assured the public that he would “not take a penny in salary or compensation” and that “100% of the funds raised…will be used in the execution of our mission and purpose.”
Those representations were lies. In truth, KOLFAGE, BADOLATO, SHEA, and others received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donor funds from We Build the Wall, which they each used in a manner inconsistent with the organization’s public representations. For example, KOLFAGE covertly took for his personal use more than $350,000 in funds that donors had given to We Build the Wall. To conceal the payments to KOLFAGE from We Build the Wall, KOLFAGE, BADOLATO, SHEA, and others devised a scheme to route those payments through entities and bank accounts that they controlled. They took various steps to obscure or conceal these payments, including by using fake invoices and sham contracts — conduct for which SHEA was convicted at trial of obstruction of justice.
In imposing today’s sentences on KOLFAGE and BADOLATO, Judge Torres noted that “this was no ordinary financial fraud,” because when victims donated to We Build the Wall, “they were expressing their views about a political issue that was important to them.” Noting that the offense cast doubt on the efficacy of political involvement and that the scheme would “undoubtedly have a chilling effect” on political donations, Judge Torres remarked that “the fraud perpetrated by Mr. Kolfage and Mr. Badolato went well beyond defrauding individual donors. They hurt us all.”
* * *
KOLFAGE, 41, of Miramar Beach, Florida, and BADOLATO, 58, of Cocoa, Florida, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. KOLFAGE also pled guilty to tax and wire fraud charges originally filed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
SHEA, 52, of Castle Rock, Colorado, was convicted after trial of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and obstruction of justice, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Torres on June 13, 2023.
In addition to the prison terms, KOLFAGE was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $17,872,106 and pay restitution in the amount of $2,877,414. BADOLATO was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $1,414,368 and pay restitution in the amount of $1,414,368. Judge Torres also separately ordered forfeiture of $1,376,597.39 of funds held by We Build the Wall and real property located in Sunland Park, New Mexico, on which We Build the Wall had constructed a portion of a wall.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mollie E. Bracewell, Alison G. Moe, Nicolas Roos, Robert B. Sobelman, and Derek Wikstrom are in charge of the prosecution. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/two-sentenced-prison-we-build-wall-online-fundraising-fraud-scheme
“Stephen K. Bannon Indicted for Contempt of Congress Friday, November 12, 2021
For Immediate Release
Office of Public Affairs
Two Charges Filed for Failing to Honor House Subpoena From Select Committee Investigating Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
Stephen K. Bannon was indicted today by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Bannon, 67, is charged with one contempt count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition and another involving his refusal to produce documents, despite a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol. An arraignment date has not yet been set in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s charges reflect the department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.”
“As detailed in the indictment, on Sept. 23, 2021, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Mr. Bannon,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The subpoena required him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee, and to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee. According to the indictment, Mr. Bannon refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena.”
In its subpoena, the Select Committee said it had reason to believe that Bannon had information relevant to understanding events related to Jan. 6. Bannon, formerly a Chief Strategist and Counselor to the President, has been a private citizen since departing the White House in 2017.
Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of $100 to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Updated November 15, 2021
Attachment
Stephen Bannon Indictment.pdf [PDF, 4 MB] “ https://www.justice.gov/d9/press-releases/attachments/2021/11/12/stephen_bannon_indictment_clerk_stamped_1.pdf
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/stephen-k-bannon-indicted-contempt-congress
Mining Awareness + 