Steve Bannon's Fraud Case
Former advisor to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, avoids jail time despite pleading guilty to fraud in connection to a border wall fundraising scheme. He was sentenced to three years of conditional discharge and barred from working for charities. Bannon had falsely promised Trump supporters that their donations would go towards building a wall on the US-Mexico border, but the money went into the pockets of organizers. Bannon faced up to 15 years in prison but only pleaded guilty to one charge of scheming to defraud. He was also previously charged federally but pardoned by Trump. Manhattan District Attorney's office charged him again at the state level. Bannon served four months in prison last year for defying a congressional subpoena.
Key Points
- Bannon avoided prison time by pleading guilty to one charge
- Money from the fundraising scheme went to organizers instead of the intended cause
- Bannon is barred from working for charities and holding assets for charitable organizations
Pros
- Avoided jail time
- Sentenced to conditional discharge
Cons
- Misuse of donations
- False promises to donors