NEW YORK — Steve Bannon, a longtime adviser to former President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty in a New York state court on February 11 to a fraud charge tied to his involvement in a fundraising campaign for constructing a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bannon's plea agreement allows him to sidestep any jail time, provided he stays out of legal trouble for the next three years. Upon leaving the courtroom, Bannon remarked that he "felt like a million bucks."

The case revolved around the "We Build the Wall" nonprofit organization, which raised over $20 million. Prosecutors accused Bannon and his associates of deceiving donors by falsely promising that all funds would contribute to the wall's construction. Instead, they alleged, the money was funneled into personal expenses and salaries for Bannon and others involved in the initiative. Bannon himself had expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the fundraising efforts in prior communications, reportedly noting that it seemed like a "scam."

Bannon had been scheduled to stand trial on March 4 for various charges, including money laundering and conspiracy. However, as part of the plea deal, those charges were dropped. His guilty plea is part of a broader legal landscape for Trump allies, as the former president faces multiple investigations. Bannon's legal troubles were exacerbated after he received a federal pardon from Trump in the last hours of his presidency, which did not extend to these state-level charges.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who charged Bannon, stated that the plea deal was crucial for protecting charitable giving in New York. Under the conditions of his conditional discharge, Bannon is barred from serving in any charitable capacity in New York, and he cannot use or sell data collected from donors during the We Build the Wall campaign. In response to the verdict, Bannon publicly called for investigations against Bragg and New York Attorney General Letitia James, labeling their legal actions as politically motivated.

Over recent years, Bannon has faced an array of legal challenges. He was previously sentenced to four months in federal prison for contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with subpoenas linked to the investigation into the January 6 Capitol riots. Other co-defendants in the We Build the Wall project have already faced prison sentences related to this fraudulent scheme.

For more information, refer to HuffPost, NPR, and Voice of America.