Steve Bannon once joked about defrauding “We Build the Wall” donors. He was arrested for allegedly defrauding them Thursday.
During a 2019 “Wall-a-Thon” fundraiser for the private campaign to fund a wall on the border of the United States and Mexico, Bannon said, “We’re off the coast of St. Tropez in southern France in the Mediterranean. We’re on the million-dollar yacht of Brian Kolfage. Brian Kolfage, he took all that money from Build the Wall…”
The former chief strategist for President Donald Trump added, “No, we’re actually in Sunland Park, New Mexico.”
Bannon, Kolfage and two others were arrested by federal prosecutors on Thursday, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to a release.
Bannon — a former chief strategist for President Donald Trump and head of Breitbart News — was among four men identified by the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York as “leaders” of the “We Build the Wall” campaign, which brought in over $25 million.
The year-old joke is noteworthy not only because Bannon outright says Kolfage is funneling money away from the campaign for personal funds, but because he was arrested on a yacht himself Thursday.
Folks, this really happened. pic.twitter.com/EviEJCGvs7
— John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) August 21, 2020