Donors hoping to build Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” border wall were actually funding Brian Kolfage’s boat payments, jewelry, and cosmetic surgeries. Kolfage, a former associate of Steve Bannon and a triple amputee Iraq War veteran, was sentenced to more than four years in prison on Wednesday after he admitted to defrauding donors to the “We Build the Wall” campaign out of more than $350,000. “While they were publicly promising that 100% of donated funds would go towards construction of a southern border wall, and that Kolfage would take no money, the defendants privately arranged to steal donor money to compensate Kolfage,” prosecutors wrote. Bannon was also indicted in the same scheme back in September, but Trump’s presidential pardon protected him from federal charges.
