Trump ally Thomas Barrack indicted in foreign lobbying case

Prosecutors said Barrack had been acting as a foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates.

Published: July 20, 2021 3:20pm

Updated: July 20, 2021 3:40pm

Thomas Barrack, a friend and ally to former President Donald Trump, was arrested and charged Tuesday for violating foreign lobbying laws, obstructing justice, and making false statements.

Barrack, who chaired Trump's inaugural committee, was arrested and charged with illegal foreign lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates, which prosecutors described as an effort to influence the foreign policy positions of the 2016 Trump campaign and administration, according to CNN.

He was officially charged with a seven-count indictment of acting as a foreign agent for the UAE from April 2016 to April 2018. He was arrested at his primary residence in Los Angeles, according to The Washington Post.

Prosecutors said Barrack had tried to "advance the interests of and provide intelligence to the UAE while simultaneously failing to notify the Attorney General that their actions were taken at the direction of senior UAE officials."