Cultist Convicted In $25M Private Border Wall Scam

The New York Times reports:

A man from Colorado who helped loot a charity that privately funded a border wall of the sort championed by former President Donald J. Trump was convicted on Friday in a retrial in Manhattan federal court. An earlier trial was scuttled by a juror who was said to have insisted that the prosecution was a “government witch hunt.”

The second trial not only gave the U.S. attorney’s office another opportunity to convict Mr. Shea, but provided a new look at evidence that could be used by the Manhattan district attorney’s office against Mr. Bannon.

That evidence included text message exchanges in which Mr. Bannon appeared to say that a nonprofit group he started called Citizens of the American Republic could be used to funnel money to Mr. Kolfage, We Build the Wall’s public face, who had said he wanted to be paid $100,000 upfront, then $20,000 a month.

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A man from Colorado who helped loot a charity that privately funded a border wall of the sort championed by Donald Trump was just convicted in federal court. https://t.co/rAnz2wfmbp

— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) October 28, 2022

“We Build The Wall’s public campaign promised that 100% of the funds raised would be used to build the wall, which induced over 100,000 victims to donate. Shea and his co-defendants lied. And they stole over $25 million from their victims.”

— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) October 28, 2022

“Months ago, this Office stated our belief in the powerful and compelling evidence that showed Shea’s guilt. Today, a unanimous jury has convicted Shea on all counts in the indictment. I commend the prosecutors of this Office for their perseverance in ensuring justice was done.”

— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) October 28, 2022