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US accuses ex-UAE adviser of hiding electoral funds 

December 5, 2019 at 4:23 pm

The US Department of Justice has charged eight individuals with conspiracy to hide the “source of excessive contributions” made by groups supporting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, including Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, who was also named as a witness in the report of the special investigator on Russian intervention in the US election, Robert Mueller.

The New York Times reported yesterday that the prosecutors stated that Nader, an aide to President Donald Trump’s campaign and adviser to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed, conspired with Ahmed Khawaja (known as Andy), CEO of an online payment processing company, to hide more than $3.5 million of campaign contributions.

The indictment, released on Tuesday, did not mention Clinton by name as the candidate who received the donations, but cited “candidates”.

Nader, who has frequently visited Trump at the White House, has spent decades in international diplomacy and was previously an unofficial adviser to UAE Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed. He was also described in the Mueller report as a powerful intermediary, linking people associated with the Trump administration with interests in Middle East and Russia.

Nader is currently in federal custody on charges related to child pornography, and has been granted partial immunity in exchange for testimony in the Mueller investigation.

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