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Thomas Barrack, founder and chairman of Colony Capital LLC, was interviewed by Bloomberg TV in New York on July 18, 2016.
Chris Goodney | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Arrest key Trump on Tuesday The allies accused of illegal lobbying by the United Arab Emirates help illustrate the extent to which this oil-rich Middle East country has favored the United States during the Trump administration.
Between arms deals and diplomatic agreements, the UAE, a relatively small crescent between Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf, played an important role in the rule of the former president. Donald TrumpRegional policies.
An indictment filed in the Federal Court of New York on Tuesday stated that Trump’s old friend and business partner Tom Barak had been working for years to secretly promote the interests of the UAE through his influence on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and his government. Develop this relationship.
Barrack, a 74-year-old private equity firm Billionaire Trump, who was the chairman of Trump’s first fund in 2017, was arrested in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.
The seven indictments also accused Barack of obstructing justice and making multiple false statements in an interview with federal authorities in 2019. The indictment also includes 27-year-old Matthew Grimes from Aspen, Colorado; and 43-year-old UAE national Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi.
A judge ordered the detention of Barack and Grimes, and a bail hearing is scheduled for Monday.
“Mr. Barack voluntarily allowed investigators to reach him from the beginning. He is not guilty and will not plead guilty,” a Barack spokesperson told CNBC in a statement.
The indictment stated that Barak had provided informal advice to US officials on Middle East policy and sought to be appointed to senior positions in the US government, including serving as a special envoy for the Middle East.
Trump’s spokesperson did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment on Barack’s arrest.
The UAE-a federation of seven Arab monarchies with a population of less than 10 million-is home to several sovereign wealth funds, such as the nearly $700 billion Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. 35% to 50% of ADIA’s investments are located in North America, According to the fund’s website.
Barak is not the first person in Trump’s orbit whose relationship with the UAE has been censored.
During his time as a consultant to the UAE, George Nader (George Nader) Pleaded guilty to child sex and pornography charges In a Russian investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, US$2.5 million was sent to Trump fundraiser Elliott Brody. Associated Press 2018 report.
A source told the Associated Press that Nader paid the money to Broidy to help persuade Washington to strengthen its position on Qatar, which is an ally of the United States but a mortal enemy of the UAE.
New York TimesCiting hundreds of pages of letters between the two, it also reported on a campaign launched by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to influence the Trump White House in 2018.
Broidy pleaded guilty to one crime in October 2020 Conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent.
A United States Air Force F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter approaching Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The US Air Force photo was taken by Samuel King Jr.
Transaction matchmaker
Trump’s UAE Established business ties before becoming presidentDuring the Trump administration, he established himself as the main partner of the United States in the region.
UAE Signed the 2020 Abraham Agreement, Take steps to normalize diplomatic relations between Arab countries and Israel. The agreement makes the UAE the first Persian Gulf country to normalize relations with Israel and the third Arab country, second only to Egypt and Jordan.
Last November, then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the Trump administration would sell More than 23 billion U.S. dollars The UAE “recognizes our deepening relationship” and the country “needs advanced defensive capabilities to prevent and defend against increased threats from Iran.”
In April, the administration of President Joe Biden It is said that Tell Congress that it will continue the Trump-era arms sales. The deal includes dozens of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, the most expensive weapons platform in the United States, and the MQ-9 Reaper drone equipped by General Atomics.
The United States is the world’s largest arms exporter, and half of its arms are exported to the Middle East. According to a report Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. From 2016 to 2020, arms imports in the Middle East were 25% higher than those from 2011 to 2015.
After Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the UAE is the second largest US arms buyer in the Middle East.
— Amanda Macias reports from Washington. Kevin Bruning reports from New York.
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