Oct 8, 2020 - Politics & Policy
Former top GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy charged for foreign lobbying
Elliot Broidy (R) with business executive Fred Sands (L). Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Pepperdine University
Elliott Broidy, the former deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, appears set to plead guilty to conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent by lobbying the Trump administration to drop an investigation into the massive Malaysian embezzlement scheme 1MDB, according to a court filing.
Why it matters: Broidy is the latest 2016 Trump campaign associate to face criminal charges, joining former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, deputy chairman Rick Gates, chief executive Steve Bannon, adviser Michael Flynn, outside adviser Roger Stone and fellow deputy finance chairman Michael Cohen.
- Broidy is accused of leveraging his "access to and perceived influence" with President Trump and the administration in order to secure payments from Malaysian businessman Jho Low, who is not named in the indictment.
- Low has separately been charged for his role in "orchestrating and executing a multi-billion-dollar embezzlement scheme from 1MDB." Broidy is accused of lobbying the Justice Department to drop the investigation without registering as a foreign agent.
- Broidy is also accused of lobbying the Trump administration to deport wealthy Chinese dissident Guo Wengui, an associate of Steve Bannon, back to China.