Trump confidant Thomas Barrack faces trial for allegedly acting as foreign agent
CBSN
Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the criminal trial of Thomas Barrack, a billionaire investor and close friend of former President Donald Trump, who is accused of unlawfully lobbying the Trump administration on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.
Federal prosecutors say Barrack, who served as a Trump campaign adviser and chair of Trump's inaugural committee, tried to leverage his influence to advance the UAE's interests. Barrack has been out on $250 million bond since soon after his July 2021 arrest, when he was charged with acting as an undisclosed foreign agent for the UAE, obstruction of justice and making false statements to the FBI about his dealings.
Both Barrack and an employee, Matthew Grimes, entered not guilty pleas to the charges. A third suspect, Rashid Al Malik, has not been located by law enforcement.
