Bannon pleads guilty to fraud in border wall case, avoids time in jail

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer)

Steve Bannon pleaded guilty to defrauding donors in a fundraising effort to build a wall along the southern U.S. border. A plea deal allowed him to avoid time in prison.
The deal stipulates that he will be given a three-year conditional discharge.
If Bannon violates the deal, he could face time in prison.

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President Donald Trump’s longtime ally, Steve Bannon, pleaded guilty to defrauding donors in a fundraising effort to build a wall along the United States’ southern border, avoiding time in jail. In exchange for the guilty plea to one felony count of defrauding donors in New York criminal court Tuesday, Feb. 11, Bannon agreed to a three-year conditional discharge and waived his right to appeal.

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As a result, he will not serve prison time or be required to pay any restitution.

Bannon originally faced five felony charges that could have put him behind bars for years.

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A prosecutor said Bannon’s co-defendants in a related federal case already returned millions of dollars to victims.

What are the terms of Bannon’s conditional discharge?

Under the conditional discharge, he will not be allowed to serve as an officer or director of a charity or any charitable organization in New York state, or any fundraising or not-for-profit organization in New York state.

He will also not be allowed to receive or hold assets for any charitable organizations.

If he violates the terms of the deal, he could face up to four years behind bars.

Prosecutors said Bannon and others raised over $15 million by falsely claiming none of the money from an online fundraiser would be used to pay the salary of one of the founders.

The campaign called “We Build a Wall” solicited donations on the premise of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

What is Bannon’s other conviction?

This is Bannon’s second felony conviction.

He served four months in federal prison for contempt of Congress and was released in November 2024.

Tags: Border, border wall, Courts, Donald Trump, Plea deal, Prison, Steve Bannon, U.S.-Mexico Border

[Karah]

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S LONGTIME ALLY, STEVE BANNON, PLEADED GUILTY TO DEFRAUDING DONORS IN A FUNDRAISING EFFORT TO BUILD A WALL ALONG THE U-S SOUTHERN BORDER.

AND HE WON’T SERVE ANY JAIL TIME.

IN EXCHANGE FOR THE GUILTY PLEA TO ONE FELONY COUNT OF DEFRAUDING DONORS IN NEW YORK CRIMINAL COURT TUESDAY, BANNON AGREED TO A THREE YEAR CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE AND WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO APPEAL.

HE WILL NOT SERVE PRISON TIME OR BE REQUIRED TO PAY ANY RESTITUTION.

BANNON ORIGINALLY FACED FIVE FELONY CHARGES THAT COULD HAVE PUT HIM BEHIND BARS FOR YEARS.

A PROSECUTOR SAYS BANNON’S CO-DEFENDANTS IN A RELATED FEDERAL CASE ALREADY RETURNED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO VICTIMS.

UNDER THE CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE, HE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SERVE AS AN OFFICER OR DIRECTOR OF A CHARITY OR ANY CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION IN NEW YORK STATE, OR ANY FUNDRAISING OR NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN NEW YORK STATE.

HE WILL ALSO NOT BE ALLOWED TO RECEIVE OR HOLD ASSETS FOR ANY CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.

IF HE VIOLATES THE TERMS OF THE DEAL, HE COULD FACE UP TO 4 YEARS BEHIND BARS.

PROSECUTORS SAY BANNON AND OTHERS RAISED OVER 15 MILLION DOLLARS BY FALSELY CLAIMING NONE OF THE MONEY FROM AN ONLINE FUNDRAISER WOULD BE USED TO PAY THE SALARY OF ONE OF THE FOUNDERS.

THE CAMPAIGN CALLED “WE BUILD A WALL” SOLICITED DONATIONS ON THE PREMISE OF BUILDING A WALL ALONG THE U-S MEXICO BORDER.

THIS IS BANNON’S SECOND FELONY CONVICTION.

HE SERVED FOUR MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS AND WAS RELEASED IN NOVEMBER.

FOR SAN I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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