Major Trump financial supporter pleads guilty to foreign lobbying crimes News
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Major Trump financial supporter pleads guilty to foreign lobbying crimes

Campaign fundraiser Imaad Shah Zuberi was charged Tuesday with manipulating his records in order to prevent the discovery of his status as a foreign agent. Zuberi, who had previously donated $900,000 to Trump’s inaugural committee, pleaded guilty, stating that he had promised international clients higher profits by changing US foreign policy. The campaign fundraiser also used foreign funding to influence various US elections while simultaneously engaging in illegal campaign contributions.

The Assistant US Attorney General for National Security stated, “This case should deter individuals who seek to provide false statements to the Department and covertly influence our political process on behalf of foreign governments.”

Zuberi had a history of taking the money he received from foreign individuals for his own personal use, even though he had promised them influence in American politics. “Mr. Zuberi was the primary organizer of paid political efforts to mold the opinion of political officials, including members of Congress, to benefit Sri Lanka. Instead, he used shell business entities to divert millions of dollars for his own personal use,” stated Special Agent Ryan Korner of the IRS.

Zuberi obtained $1 million from illegal campaign contributions throughout his career from international clients and foreign entities. The California resident  could be facing up to 15 years in federal prison for these various crimes.