Top Donald Trump fundraiser ‘to be charged over lobbying president to hand over dissident Chinese billionaire to Beijing in plot with Fujees rapper’
Federal prosecutors are preparing to charge former top Donald Trump fundraiser Eliot Broidy with an alleged illegal lobbying campaign.
Broidy, a former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, is under investigation for his possible role in efforts to use his influence and contacts inside the White House to extradite Chinese dissident back to his home country.
People close to the matter told the Washington Post authorities were preparing to charge Broidy, who in 2017 hired longtime Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen to negotiate a non-disclosure agreement and an agreement to pay $1.6 million for a former Playboy Playmate who had a sexual relationship with Broidy and then had an abortion, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Major Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy, pictured with wife Robin, is expected to be charged with pushing the government to end the probe of a Malaysian state investment fund
The news comes a day after Broidy associate Nickie Mali Lum Davis pleaded guilty days after being charged with aiding the effort to send home Chinese dissident Guo Wengui. She also was accused of helping steal $4.5 billion from a a Malaysian state investment fund and laundering funds through a series of high-end purchases including fine art and even Hollywood movies.
The charging document last week identified 'Person A' and 'Person B' as taking part in the scheme, who the post identified as original Fugees rapper Pras Michel and Broidy.
Just days ago former Trump chief White House strategist Steve Bannon was arrested and aboard the billionaire Guo's mega-yacht before Bannon was charged with allegedly ripping off donors to the 'We Build the Wall' project.
Broidy reportedly will be charged with pushing the government to extradite Chinese Billionaire Guo Wengui, who resides in New York and who is a fierce critic of the regime in Beijing
Fugees rapper Pras Michel (pictured with Wyclef Jean) has also been charged
Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon (R) greets fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui before introducing him at a news conference on November 20, 2018. Bannon was arrested last month aboard Guo's mega-yacht
Guo is wanted by authorities in Beijing, who has become a vocal critic of Chinese authorities, who have accused him of corruption.
Broidy has been under the microscope 'for his alleged role in a campaign to persuade high-level Trump administration officials to drop an investigation of Malaysian government corruption,' according to the Post, as well as the extradition effort.
Broidy could reach a plea deal amid negotiations with prosecutors, according to the paper.
Shera Bechard, the Canadian-born former girlfriend of Playboy Enterprises founder Hugh Hefner, is seen in this handout photo taken in October, 2011. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2018 that Broidy used Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to help negotiate an NDA with Bechard, who had a sexual relationship with Broidy
Broidy was a top fundraiser for Trump, and served as finance chair of the Republican National Committee
Broidy's payoff of former Playboy playmate Shera Bechard came to light as authorities came down on Cohen, who also helped arrange 'hush' payments by Trump to porn star Stormy Daniels and payments by third parties to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Broidy's case stems from the 1MDB probe. At a 2017 meeting that included Malaysian financier Jho Low, who has also been charged, Broidy spoke about going to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, according to Davis' charging document.
The Post cited documents and people familiar with the case as alleging Broidy made entreaties to other top figures in the administration: former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus – who was with Trump today in Wisconsin – former deputy campaign chair Rick Gates, who cooperated with the Mueller probe, and Trump himself.
Broidy told the Times in 2018: 'This whole narrative is a fabrication driven by hackers who want to undermine me' and his team has said he never did work for or got paid by any foreign government for lobbying the U.S. government.
