Thomas Barrack, a longtime friend of former President Donald Trump and the one-time chairman of his inaugural fund, was arrested Tuesday on federal charges related to illegal lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.
The news was first reported by NBC News.
Barrack and two others – Matthew Grimes and Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi – were charged “with acting and conspiring to act as agents of” the United Arab Emirates between April 2016 and April 2018, according to a release from the Department of Justice. Barrack and Grimes were both arrested in California on Tuesday; Alshahhi is still at large.
“The indictment charges conduct relating to the defendants’ unlawful efforts to advance the interests of the UAE in the United States at the direction of senior UAE officials by influencing the foreign policy positions of the campaign of a candidate in the 2016 United States Presidential Election and, subsequently, the foreign policy positions of the United States government in the incoming administration, as well as seeking to influence public opinion in favor of UAE interests,” the statement from the DOJ reads.
Barrack is also charged with obstruction of justice, as well as making multiple false statements during a 2019 interview with federal law enforcement agents.
“As alleged, the defendants, using their positions of power and influence in a presidential election year, engaged in a conspiracy to illegally advance and promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates in this country, in flagrant violation of their obligation to notify the Attorney General of their activities and in derogation of the American people’s right to know when a foreign government seeks to influence the policies of our government and our public opinion,” Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn M. Kasulis wrote in a statement.
“These arrests serve as a warning to those who act at the direction of foreign governments without disclosing their actions, as well as those who seek to mislead investigators about their actions, that they will be brought to justice and face the consequences,” she added.
Barrack served as an informal advisor to the Trump campaign between April 2016 and Nov. 2016, and afterward served as Chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee until Jan. 2017. The 74-year-old, who founded the private equity firm Colony Capital, was a close ally of Trump’s during the campaign and while in office.
The indictment lists several alleged actions taken by Barrack, Alshahhi and Grimes, including:
- In May 2016, Barrack inserting “language praising the UAE into a Campaign speech to be delivered by the Candidate about United States energy policy in May 2016,” and emailing a draft of that speech to Alshahhi to be delivered to senior UAE officials
- In Dec. 2016, Barrack advising Grimes, Alshahhi and senior UAE government officials “to create a ‘wish list’ of U.S. foreign policy items that the UAE wanted accomplished in the first 100 days, six months, year and four years of the incoming administration of the United States President-Elect”
- In March 2017, agreeing to promote the candidacy of an individual favored by senior UAE officials for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the UAE
- Acquiring a dedicated cell phone and installed a secure messaging application to facilitate Barrack’s communications with senior UAE officials
According to the DOJ, aifter a media appearance in which Barrack repeatedly praised the UAE, Barrack emailed Alshahhi with the message “I nailed it. . . for the home team,” referring to the UAE.
“The defendants repeatedly capitalized on Barrack’s friendships and access to a candidate who was eventually elected President, high-ranking campaign and government officials, and the American media to advance the policy goals of a foreign government without disclosing their true allegiances,” Mark J. Lesko, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said in a statement. “The conduct alleged in the indictment is nothing short of a betrayal of those officials in the United States, including the former President.”
“Through this indictment, we are putting everyone — regardless of their wealth or perceived political power — on notice that the Department of Justice will enforce the prohibition of this sort of undisclosed foreign influence,” Lesko added.
A spokesperson for Barrack told The Washington Post that Barrack will plead not guilty to the obstruction, false statements and lobbying charges.
“Tom Barrack made himself voluntarily available to investigators from the outset,” the spokesperson said. “He is not guilty and will be pleading not guilty today.”
