Trump fundraiser pleads guilty in lobbying case
Elliott Broidy aided a covert campaign to influence the administration for Chinese and Malaysian interests.
WASHINGTON » Elliott Broidy, a former top fundraiser for President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws as part of a covert campaign to influence the administration on behalf of Chinese and Malaysian interests.
Broidy, 63, agreed to forfeit $6.6 million to the federal government and to cooperate with prosecutors on a range of potential investigations related to his fellow conspirators and others.
The charge is a felony that could carry a prison sentence of up to five years, but his cooperation is likely toresult ina lesser sentence. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12.
Broidy’s guilty plea relates to his arrangement with the fugitiveMalaysian financier Jho Low, whowas not identified by name in court filings or during the hearing on Tuesday.
Broidy admitted that he had accepted $9 million from Low, some of which was then paid to an associate, to push the Trump administration for the extradition of a Chinese dissident and to drop a case related to an embezzlement scheme fromaMalaysian sovereign wealth fund that theUnited States has accused Low of engineering.
He also admitted to meetingwith a Chinese government official who was seeking the extradition of the dissident, who was not identified in court, butwho is known to be billionaire Guo Wengui, an outspoken critic of Chinawho has been charged by its government with corruption and is seeking asylum in the United States.