Federal prosecutors have charged a convicted pedophile with funneling money to groups linked to 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
George Nader (top, right), who was also used as a source by former special counsel Robert Mueller in his probe of alleged collusion between Russia and the 2016 campaign of President Donald Trump, was one of eight people indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington on Nov. 7, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Dec. 3.
Ahmad “Andy” Khawaja (top, left), a Lebanese-American like Nader and the CEO of an online payment processing company called Allied Wallet Inc., allegedly conspired with Nader from March 2016 through Jan. 2017 to conceal the source of more than $3.5 million in campaign contributions that were directed to groups associated with a 2016 candidate, the DoJ said.
The true source of the funds, which was a foreign government, was not revealed identified by the Justice Department, however.
According to campaign finance records, the candidate was Clinton.
Donations included a $150,000 contribution to the Hillary Victory Fund on April 12, 2016, as well as a $200,400 contribution to the Hilary Action Fund on July 8, 2016.
“By design, these contributions appeared to be in the names of Khawaja, his wife, and his company. In reality, they allegedly were funded by Nader,” the department said in press release.
“Khawaja and Nader allegedly made these contributions in an effort to gain influence with high-level political figures, including the candidate,” the release continued.
“As Khawaja and Nader arranged these payments, Nader allegedly reported to an official from a foreign government about his efforts to gain influence,” the DOJ said.
The indictment also notes that Khawaja also conspired with six others to hide Khawaj’s excessive contributions to various political committees.
The indictment alleges that Khawaja, Nader, and another defendant, Rudy Dekermenjian, attended an event to support Clinton in April 2016.
The following day, Nader told a foreign official in a WhatsApp message that he had a “wonderful meeting with the Big Lady,” the indictment reads.
Nader is currently in federal custody for allegedly possessing child pornography images. His history also includes sexual abuse of minors.