Feds Reached Deal With Brian Kolfage, Timothy Shea: Docs

Steve Bannon and Brian Kolfage

Federal prosecutors have “reached agreements in principle” with two of the remaining defendants in the We Build the Wall case involving the former White House strategist. Steve Bannongovernment revealed in a court filing late Friday.

During the twilight of the administration, Donald Trump pardoned Bannon for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering related to a crowdfunding effort to build a fence on the US-Mexico border, but the former president left his accomplices alone. Bannon’s allegations revolved around similar allegations.

Now, all three remaining defendants – Chairman of We Build the Wall Brian Kolfage, Timothy Sheaand Andrew Badolato – signaled a plan to “admit guilt to certain charges” against them without trial. Prosecutors said in February that Badolato was in “The final stage“Of the negotiations with the government. If the three men’s plans go through, those developments would make “a trial currently scheduled for May 16, 2022 unnecessary,” according to government records.

“The parties are in the process of formalizing their agreements and will submit executed copies of that agreement to the Court as soon as possible,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos wrote in a one-page profile.

In August 2020, federal prosecutors charge Kolfage, Bannon, Badolato and Shea with a plot to defraud the sponsors of We Build the Wall. We Build the Wall allegedly promised that every penny raised would be used to build, but prosecutors said Bannon pocketed $1 million. Kolfage take it According to the indictment, $350,000 plus heavy spending to buy a Jupiter Marine yacht named Warfighter, a Range Rover SUV, a golf cart, jewelry and plastic surgery.

trumpet pardon pointed out Bannon, his former strategist, about the related allegations before leaving office.

“In light of these developments, the parties jointly request that the Court postpone the death penalty hearing the parties’ pre-trial filing deadlines currently set for March 28, 2022 and April 4, 2022, and schedule changes to the plea hearings for both defendants – within the week. of March 28, 2022 for Shea and for the week of April 11, 2022 for Kolfage,” prosecutors wrote. “Both Kolfage and Shea requested, without objection from the government, that the alteration of the guilty plea hearing be held remotely.”

In addition to his indictment in the Southern District of New York, Kolfage is charged separately in the Northern District of Florida for alleged tax violations. Prosecutors said those charges would be moved to New York and dealt with in the course of changing his plea hearing here.

Attorneys for Kolfage, Shea and Badolato did not immediately respond to Law & Crime’s emails requesting comment.

When pardoning Bannon shortly before leaving office, Trump did not give any reason to allow his former strategist to be pardoned and not the other three.

“Prosecutors have pursued Mr. Bannon on fraud-related charges stemming from his participation in a political project,” the White House said. declare read at time. “Mr. Bannon was once an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen.”

Bannon’s lawyer Robert Costello did not immediately respond to Law & Crime’s email requesting comment.

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(Bannon photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images; Kolfage photo via YouTube screenngrab.)

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