Steve Bannon, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump, has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in relation to a fundraising campaign for the building of the US-Mexico border wall.
Federal prosecutors alleged Mr Bannon and three others “orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors” in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign called "We Build The Wall".
The campaign raised more than $25 million (Dh91.8m) to build a barrier along the southern border of the US, lawyer Audrey Strauss said.
Despite portraying “We Build the Wall” as a volunteer organisation, Mr Bannon received more than $1m from the group, some of which was used to pay for his personal expenses, prosecutors said.
Hours after his arrest, Mr Bannon, 66, pleaded not guilty during an appearance in a Manhattan federal court.
“As alleged, the defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalising on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction,” Ms Strauss said.
Defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalising on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars
We Build The Wall founders Brian Kolfage, Andrew Badolato and Timothy Shea were also indicted.
Mr Kolfage, who prosecutors described as the public face and founder of the operation, received thousands of dollars that he used to fund a lavish lifestyle.
He is due to appear in federal court in Florida on Thursday.
The other two defendants are due to appear in courts in the Middle District of Florida and Colorado.
Mr Bannon, 66, served as the chief executive of Mr Trump’s presidential campaign and was the architect of his populist strategy.
The former leader of Breitbart News helped Mr Trump to increase his appeal among the far right, often prompting accusations of racism and conspiracy-mongering.
In the White House, Mr Bannon was a leading proponent of the administration’s efforts to ban travel from a group of Muslim-majority countries.
But his tenure in the administration was a rocky one.
Opponents accused him of leaking to the media and haphazard efforts to root out “deep state” opponents of the administration.
Coverage suggesting that he was using outsize influence to manipulate the president quickly drew Mr Trump’s ire.
Mr Bannon was sacked seven months into his role during the controversy over Mr Trump’s handling of the violence that erupted at white supremacist protests in Charlottesville.
He applauded the president’s strategy to voice support for some of the demonstrators protesting against the removal of Confederate statues, who marched with people chanting Nazi slogans.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
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%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Michael%20Knights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20256%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2026%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
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Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
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Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
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Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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