国际英语新闻:Former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon charged with fraud in border wall fundraising campaign

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Stephen Bannon, U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign adviser, and three others were charged on Thursday by federal prosecutors with defrauding donors of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a border wall fundraising campaign, according to the authorities.

Bannon and three other individuals - Brian Kolfage, Andrew Badolato, and Timothy Shea - were indicted for their roles in defrauding hundreds of thousands of donors in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign known as "We Build the Wall," which raised more than 25 million dollars, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office in the Southern District of New York.

"As alleged, the defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction," acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss said in a statement.

All of the defendants were arrested Thursday morning. Bannon is expected to be presented in federal court in New York later on Thursday.

Stephen Bannon was an architect of President Donald Trump's 2016 election victory and later served as chief White House strategist. Bannon left the White House in August 2017.