Trial opens for men accused of funneling millions to back Hillary Clinton in 2016 presidential race

A defense attorney for a California businessman accused of conspiring to illegally donate more than $3 million to back Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race offered a simple explanation for her client’s decision to break out his checkbook: He feared that Donald Trump’s promised ban on Muslim visitors to the U.S. would devastate his travel-oriented business.

as the trial for El-Saadi and a co-defendant opened in federal court in Washington on Thursday, a prosecutor offered an equally simple explanation for the $150,000 El-Saadi personally ponied up to attend a Clinton fundraiser in Las Vegas in October 2016: Another, much wealthier man — digital payments magnate Andy Khawaja — secretly gave El-Saadi the money.

“This is a case about a large-scale conspiracy to funnel well in excess of $1 million into the U.S. political system — money that came from the United Arab Emirates,” prosecutor Michelle Parikh told jurors

The man alleged to be at the heart of the scheme, Allied Wallet founder Khawaja, is reportedly a multibillionaire. The Lebanon-born American lived a lavish lifestyle, replete with private jets, luxury hotels and fancy cars. Jurors know he isn’t in the courtroom, but not exactly why. He’s been in Lithuania fighting extradition to the U.S. for more than 2 years. Judge Randy Moss has declared him a fugitive.

Khawaja leapt into political giving with gusto, Hamwi said, hosting an event at his Los Angeles home with former President Bill Clinton in June 2016 in exchange for donating or raising about $1 million for committees associated with Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

24 Feb 22

https://www.yahoo.com/video/trial-opens-men-accused-funneling-034522858.html