Federal prosecutors have stepped up a criminal investigation into possible efforts by longtime Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy to profit from his connections to the Trump administration, according to people familiar with the matter.
Investigators are examining whether Broidy, a top fundraiser for Trump in 2016 who was later tapped as deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, was paid by his intelligence-contracting firm’s foreign and prospective clients to give them special access to attend the 2017 inauguration, some of the people said. Such activity could violate campaign-finance, lobbying or money-laundering laws.
In early April, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn asked President Trump’s inaugural committee for documents related to Broidy and his company’s actual or prospective clients, including foreign politicians who attended inaugural events at Broidy’s invitation, according to people familiar with the requests. The company, called Circinus LLC, provides intelligence research and analysis for foreign governments and other clients.
Broidy invited several Angolan and Romanian officials to inaugural events in 2017—including a Romanian who was scheduled to stand trial for corruption weeks later. Broidy also introduced Angolan officials to multiple members of Congress during that trip, which was soon after the Angolan government agreed to pay his company $6 million for its services. People who represent foreign clients before members of Congress are generally required to disclose their work under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Broidy’s representatives have said he was never paid to do any lobbying, so was never required to register.
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An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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