{"slug":"trump-inaugural-committee-corruption-investigations","title":"Inaugural Committee: $107 Million Raised, Federal Investigations Into Corruption","date":"2017-01-20","lastUpdated":"2021-06-18","description":"Trump's 2017 inaugural committee raised $107 million — more than double any previous inaugural committee — and became the subject of multiple federal investigations into whether donors received policy favors, whether foreign nationals illegally donated through U.S. conduits, and whether committee funds were misused. In 2021, the committee's chief fundraiser Thomas Barrack was indicted for acting as a foreign agent of the UAE while raising money for the committee and advising Trump. The investigation also revealed undisclosed payments from foreign nationals.","summary":"The Southern District of New York opened an investigation into the inaugural committee in 2019 after the Cohen cooperation. Prosecutors subpoenaed records investigating potential coordination with foreign nationals and possible misuse of nonprofit funds. Tom Barrack, who chaired the fundraising effort, was indicted in July 2021 on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent of the UAE, obstruction of justice, and making false statements. The indictment alleged Barrack had used his position in the Trump campaign and inaugural committee to influence U.S. policy and public statements in favor of the UAE. Barrack was ultimately acquitted at trial. The investigation also found that donors linked to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar may have funneled money through straw donors.","category":"corruption","severity":"major","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/04/us/politics/trump-inaugural-investigation.html","title":"Federal Prosecutors Open Criminal Investigation Into Trump's Inaugural Committee","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-inaugural-committee-thomas-barrack-uae/2021/07/20/1ea7d8c4-e97d-11eb-bf80-986f6bb3a8c1_story.html","title":"Tom Barrack, Trump ally and inaugural committee chair, indicted on foreign lobbying charges","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/tom-barrack-trump-inaugural-committee-uae-indictment","title":"Trump ally Tom Barrack indicted on foreign lobbying charges","publisher":"The Associated Press"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["inaugural-committee","corruption","foreign-influence","UAE","Barrack","first-term","FARA"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2017-01-20","title":"Inaugural committee raises $107 million","summary":"Trump's inaugural committee raises $107 million, more than double any previous inauguration. Major donors include corporations, lobbyists, and individuals with foreign government ties."},{"date":"2019-02-04","title":"SDNY opens criminal investigation into committee","summary":"The Southern District of New York opens a broad criminal investigation into the inaugural committee following information from Michael Cohen's cooperation. Prosecutors subpoena committee records."},{"date":"2021-07-20","title":"Tom Barrack indicted on UAE foreign lobbying charges","summary":"The inaugural committee's fundraising chair is indicted on seven counts including acting as an unregistered UAE foreign agent, obstruction, and false statements. He is alleged to have used his Trump access to advance UAE interests."},{"date":"2022-11-04","title":"Barrack acquitted at trial","summary":"A jury acquits Tom Barrack on all counts. The prosecution's case is found insufficient to prove the foreign agent charges beyond reasonable doubt. The broader SDNY investigation concludes."}],"location":{"name":"Washington, D.C.","lat":38.9072,"lng":-77.0369},"custom":{"era":"first-term","posture":"reported","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[{"statute":"Foreign Agents Registration Act","article":"18 U.S.C. § 951","provision":"Acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government — Barrack indictment alleged coordination with UAE officials to influence U.S. policy through Trump's inaugural activities"}],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"U.S. political process integrity; legal prohibition on foreign nationals contributing to U.S. political activities; transparency of presidential inaugural funding","structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"President-elect; beneficiary of inaugural committee fundraising; administration's policies allegedly influenced by foreign-national donors","institution":"Presidential Inaugural Committee"},{"name":"Thomas Barrack","role":"Inaugural committee fundraising chair; indicted (later acquitted) for acting as UAE foreign agent through inaugural committee activities","institution":"Colony Capital / Presidential Inaugural Committee"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"2022-11-04","summary":"Updated with Barrack acquittal."}]}}