Federal investigators raided the office of top Republican fundraiser and former Republican National Committee official Elliot Broidy last summer as part of a money laundering investigation, ProPublica reports.
According to a sealed search warrant obtained by the outlet, federal agents raided the office of Broidy, a top Trump fundraiser who served as the RNC’s finance chairman, in search of records about his dealings with foreign officials and the Trump administration.
The Washington Post previously reported that the Justice Department was investigating whether Broidy tried to cash in on his access to the Trump administration in connection to his business dealings with foreign officials.
The search warrant stated that agents were investigating conspiracy, money laundering, and whether Broidy was working as an undisclosed lobbyist on behalf of foreign officials.
“To obtain a search warrant, authorities have to convince a judge that there’s a probable cause they will find evidence of those specific crimes,” ProPublica noted.
Broidy was a major fundraiser during Trump’s 2016 presidential bid and served on the RNC until he resigned in April last year when it was reported he paid off a former Playboy model to keep her quiet about their affair.
Trump campaign official cited in search warrant:
According to the report, the search warrant allowed agents to seize any evidence related to dozens of people and entities named in the warrant, including former deputy Trump campaign chief Rick Gates, who has pleaded guilty in special counsel Bob Mueller’s investigation.
“The search warrant shows that federal authorities are interested in Broidy’s alleged work for the Malaysian financier Jho Low, who is at the center of a sprawling international scandal known as 1MDB. In November, the Justice Department unveiled a bribery and money laundering case against Low,” Pro Publica reported. “In a separate filing in November, the Justice Department alleged that Broidy was paid by Low to lobby Trump administration officials to ease off on U.S. investigations into Low.”
Feds believe Broidy influenced Trump decisions on Middle East:
According to ProPublica, the feds were also searching for records related to Broidy’s dealings with George Nader, an adviser for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The New York Times reported last year that Broidy worked with Nader to influence White House decisions on the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
According to the report, Nader floated more than $1 billion in contracts for Broidy’s security company in return for his help.
Nader praised Broidy in intercepted communications for “how well [he] handles” Trump.
Nader has since become a cooperating witness in Mueller’s probe.
