Trump inauguration donor faces new charge for obstructing justice
January 7, 2020, 11:46 AM PST
By Nathan Layne
(Reuters) - A Los Angeles businessman who pleaded guilty last year to campaign finance violations and other charges was hit with a new charge on Tuesday for allegedly obstructing a probe into his donation to President Donald Trump's 2017 inauguration.
Imaad Zuberi, a big donor to both Democratic and Republican politicians, had been under investigation for allegedly concealing the real source of a $900,000 donation to the inauguration in violation of the law.
Zuberi "took numerous steps, including reimbursing one source of those funds via a back-dated check, to obstruct the federal criminal investigation," according to a court document disclosed by federal prosecutors in New York on Tuesday.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/finance/news/u-prosecutors-charge-trump-inauguration-194608909.htmlOctober 24, 2019
California: Major Campaign Fundraiser Pleads Guilty - Concealed Work as Foreign Agent
Imaad Shah Zuberi falsified records to conceal his work as a foreign agent while lobbying high-level U.S. government officials.
Federal prosecutors today filed a criminal case charging Imaad Shah Zuberi, a Southern California campaign fundraiser, with falsifying records to conceal his work as a foreign agent while lobbying high-level U.S. government officials. The criminal charges allege that Zuberi engaged in lobbying efforts that earned him millions of dollars, most of which was pilfered from his clients, and Zuberi has agreed to plead guilty to those charges at a later date, pursuant to a plea agreement.
In addition to violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Zuberi is charged in a criminal information with tax evasion and making almost $1 million in illegal campaign contributions that included funneling money from foreign entities and individuals to influence U.S. elections.
Zuberi, a 49-year-old resident of Arcadia, California, has agreed to plead guilty to the three counts in the information. A plea agreement also filed today in United States District Court notes that Zuberi faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison once he pleads guilty to the charges.
Zuberi, who operated a venture capital firm called Avenue Ventures, solicited foreign nationals and representatives of foreign governments with claims he could use his influence in Washington, D.C. to change United States foreign policy and create business opportunities for his clients and himself. According to court documents, clients gave Zuberi money for consulting fees, to make investments, or to fund campaign contributions. As part of his efforts to influence public policy, Zuberi hired lobbyists, retained public relations professionals and made campaign contributions – which gave him access to high-level U.S. officials, some of whom took action in support of his clients. As evidence of his access and influence, Zuberi distributed to his clients photographs of himself discussing policy with elected officials.
https://creepingsharia.tumblr.com/post/188561196901/california-major-campaign-fundraiser-pleadsYeah but that's OK because that is Obama and Hillary pictured with Zuberi. So no problem that Donald also had his hands in the foreign lobbyist money too.
