- Thomas Barack denied the allegations that he served as a foreign agent to advise Donald Trump.
- The prosecutor accused him of not registering as an agent in the UAE.
- Barak was released on bail of $250 million.
On Monday, former US President Donald Trump’s close ally is his top fundraiser, and he pleaded not guilty to allegations that he illegally lobbyed on behalf of foreign governments.
“Of course, I am innocent of all these allegations, and we will prove it in court,” Thomas Barack said in a brief statement after being summoned in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
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Wearing a black mask and dark blue suit, the 74-year-old man rarely spoke at the hearing, but was released on bail of $250 million. His travel is also restricted and he must wear an electronic bracelet.
The US Department of Justice accused Barack and two other suspects of failing to register as agents of the United Arab Emirates because they tried to influence Trump’s foreign policy during and after the presidential campaign.
Barak, a private equity investor and longtime Trump friend who chaired Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee, was also accused of obstruction of justice and made multiple false statements to the FBI regarding his work in the UAE.
Also accused along with Barrack are 27-year-old Matthew Grimes, an employee of a global investment management company run by Barrack, and Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi, a national of the UAE, who has repeatedly communicated with Barrack via text messages and emails. Grimes coordinated with Emirates and the United States.
Foreign policy agenda
Grimes also pleaded not guilty on Monday. Barak will appear in court again on September 2.
Trump himself has not been charged or implicated, but for those in the New York real estate tycoon circle, this is the latest legal trouble. New York prosecutors stated that in May 2016, when Barak served as an informal adviser to the Trump campaign, he established himself as the “main communication channel” for the UAE campaign.
They claim that Barak has repeatedly contacted several senior UAE officials and has repeatedly referred to Alshahhi as the UAE’s “secret weapon” for advancing its foreign policy agenda in the United States.
According to the indictment, Barak managed to include language praising the UAE in Trump’s campaign speech on U.S. energy policy in May 2016. The defendant sought and obtained talking points from senior UAE officials so that Barak repeatedly Appeared in the media.
The indictment stated that after Trump took office, Barack has coordinated with his co-defendants many times to influence Trump’s choice of the ambassadorial position and other key positions, and to try to directly influence U.S. foreign policy related to the Gulf. The official said.
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