You probably never heard of venture capitalist Immad Zuberi-- unless you work for political campaigns hungry for money. He has been a cash cow, mostly for Republicans, but for corporate Democrats as well. The Feds got him after he donated $900,000 to Trump's inaugural committee-- a bribe that went right into Trump's pockets. Yesterday, the Justice Depratment announced that he pleading guilty "to multiple federal charges, including tax evasion and concealing his work as a foreign agent as he lobbied high-level U.S. government officials." But not for the Trump contributions.
The allegations against Imaad Zuberi don’t involve his Trump ties but are centered instead on millions of dollars in contributions he made during the Obama administration, when officials say he used his contributions to obtain access to government officials and persuade them to change American policy in ways favorable to his clients.A globe-trotting venture capitalist with extensive ties to foreign officials, Zuberi raised millions of dollars for Democrats but shifted his allegiance to Trump within hours of his 2016 election, eventually donating $900,000 to the president’s inaugural. Before pivoting to Trump on election night, he served as a bundler for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, including stints on both of their campaign finance committees.Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles say Zuberi, 49, has agreed to plead guilty to three counts with a maximum 15-year prison sentence. He is due in court on Oct. 30.
I found 489 direct contributions, not even counting the illegal $900,000 he funneled to Trump through his company. Here are the biggest ones:
• March, 2018- $91,100- RNC• November, 2017- $60,700- RNC• September, 2018- $57,200- RNC• December, 2017- $33,900- DCCC• April, 2018- $33,900- NRSC- • November, 2017- $33,900- RNC• May, 2018- $33,900- NRSC-• June, 2017- $33,900- NRCC• September, 2017- $33,900- DNC• November, 2017- $33,900- NRCC• September, 2018- $33,900- RNC• September, 2018- $33,900- NRCC• November, 2016- $33,400- NRCC• October, 2016- $33,400- NRSC• February 2017- $33,400- NRCC• January, 2016- $33,400- DNC• March, 2015- $33,400- DSCC• February, 2017- $32,900- NRSC• May, 2013- $32,400- DNC• September, 2014- $32,400- DNC• March, 2014- $32,400- DCCC• February, 2014- $32,400- NRCC• December, 2014- $32,400- DSCC• March, 20145- $32,400- DCCC• August, 2014- $32,000.00- DNC• May, 2014- $30,000- DNC
Those are just the contributions of $30,000 and above. There are over $100,000 more to Democratic and Republican committees in denominations under $30,000 and to PACs galore (including Ready for Hillary). And then the max donations to candidates-- thousands and thousands to Republicans and corporate Democrats, many serving in committees where they could be useful to someone peddling influence abroad: Tom Cotton (R-AR), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jason Kander (D-MO), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Darren Soto (D-FL), Rand Paul (R-KY), Jim Costa (D-CA), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)...
Court documents allege Zuberi over the years solicited money from foreign nationals and representatives of foreign governments by saying that he could use his influence to change foreign policy and create business opportunities for clients and himself.Though his efforts “generated marginal results,” some government officials were willing to adopt the positions for which he advocated, prosecutors said.Records reviewed by the AP show Zuberi had been on the radar of federal authorities in New York for months and was even singled out in a subpoena sent to Trump’s inaugural committee seeking an array of records. That inquiry appears to be focused in part on whether any foreign nationals helped fund the $107 million celebration.But the conduct alleged in the Los Angeles case occurred in the years before Trump was elected.
