Previous Advisor to Presidential Applicant Between 3 Defendants Charged with Acting as Brokers of a Foreign Government | USAO-EDNY

BROOKLYN, NY – A seven-rely indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Thomas Joseph Barrack, Matthew Grimes, and Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi, also identified as “Rashid Al Malik” and “Rashid Al‑Malik,” a citizen of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with acting and conspiring to act as agents of the UAE involving April 2016 and April 2018.  The indictment prices conduct relating to the defendants’ unlawful initiatives to advance the passions of the UAE in the United States at the route of senior UAE officers by influencing the overseas policy positions of the campaign of a candidate (the “Candidate”) in the 2016 United States Presidential Election (the “Campaign”) and, subsequently, the overseas plan positions of the United States govt in the incoming administration, as well as looking for to influence general public feeling in favor of UAE interests.  The indictment also costs Barrack with obstruction of justice and building many false statements in the course of a June 20, 2019 interview with federal law enforcement agents.

Barrack and Grimes were arrested this morning in California and are scheduled to make their preliminary appearances this afternoon ahead of United States Justice of the peace Decide Patricia Donahue at the federal courthouse in Los Angeles.  Alshahhi stays at significant.

Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Performing United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Mark J. Lesko, Acting Assistant Lawyer Basic of the Justice Department’s Nationwide Safety Division, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Demand, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Industry Place of work (FBI), declared the arrests and indictment.

“As alleged, the defendants, making use of their positions of electricity and impact in a presidential election calendar year, engaged in a conspiracy to illegally advance and promote the passions of the United Arab Emirates in this place, in flagrant violation of their obligation to notify the Attorney Standard of their routines and in derogation of the American people’s ideal to know when a overseas government seeks to affect the guidelines of our federal government and our community opinion,” said Performing United States Legal professional Kasulis.  “These arrests serve as a warning to people who act at the course of foreign governments without having disclosing their actions, as properly as these who seek out to mislead investigators about their actions, that they will be introduced to justice and experience the consequences.”  

Ms. Kasulis expressed her appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Workplace for the Central District of California, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado and the FBI’s Los Angeles and Denver Field Offices for their support.

“The defendants consistently capitalized on Barrack’s friendships and entry to a candidate who was ultimately elected President, superior-position marketing campaign and govt officers, and the American media to advance the policy objectives of a international government without having disclosing their true allegiances,” said Acting Assistant Attorney Common Lesko.  “The carry out alleged in the indictment is nothing at all shorter of a betrayal of these officials in the United States, together with the previous President.  By this indictment, we are placing everyone—regardless of their wealth or perceived political power—on see that the Office of Justice will implement the prohibition of this form of undisclosed international influence.” 

“American citizens have a ideal to know when foreign governments, or their brokers, are making an attempt to exert influence on our authorities.  This is particularly vital to Us residents during a Presidential election yr, and the legal guidelines on the books have been developed to defend our country from this kind of untoward impact.  This scenario is about magic formula attempts to affect our maximum officers, and when that corrupt conduct was uncovered, we allege Mr. Barrack went even further, obstructing and lying to FBI exclusive brokers. In scenario it requires repeating, just about every of individuals lousy choices is a federal felony, and every single now comes with important effects – the initially staying modern indictment,” mentioned FBI Assistant Director-in-Demand Sweeney. 

Involving April 2016 and November 2016, Barrack served as an informal advisor to the Marketing campaign of the Prospect in the 2016 United States Presidential Election.  Involving November 2016 and January 2017, Barrack served as Chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.  Commencing in January 2017, Barrack informally recommended senior United States governing administration officers on issues associated to United States overseas plan in the Middle East.  Barrack also sought appointment to a senior role in the United States govt, which includes the job of Distinctive Envoy to the Middle East.  Barrack served as the Government Chairman of a world investment decision management organization headquartered in Los Angeles, and Grimes was utilized at the organization and noted directly to Barrack. During the applicable time period, Alshahhi labored as an agent of the UAE and was in regular call with Barrack and Grimes, such as several in-person meetings in the United States and the UAE. 

As alleged in the indictment, the defendants made use of Barrack’s status as a senior outside the house advisor to the Marketing campaign and, subsequently, to senior United States governing administration officers, to advance the interests of and supply intelligence to the UAE though simultaneously failing to notify the Legal professional Standard that their steps ended up taken at the way of senior UAE officials.  Barrack – instantly and through Alshahhi and Grimes – was frequently and consistently in make contact with with the senior leadership of the UAE government.  On multiple events, Barrack referred to Alshahhi as the UAE’s “secret weapon” to advance its foreign plan agenda in the United States.

Barrack, Alshahhi and Grimes allegedly took many actions in the United States to advance the pursuits of the UAE.  For example, in Might 2016, Barrack inserted language praising the UAE into a Marketing campaign speech to be shipped by the Candidate about United States energy policy in May 2016 and emailed an progress draft of the speech to Alshahhi for delivery to senior UAE officers.  In the same way, throughout 2016 and 2017, the defendants sought and gained way and suggestions, which includes chatting points, from senior UAE officials in link with national push appearances Barrack utilized to promote the pursuits of the UAE.  Just after just one visual appeal in which Barrack regularly praised the United Arab Emirates, Barrack emailed Alshahhi, “I nailed it. . . for the house staff,” referring to the UAE.  Barrack and Grimes also solicited path from senior UAE officials in advance of the publication of an Op-Ed authored by Barrack and posted in a national magazine in October 2016 and removed specified language at the route of senior UAE officers, as relayed by Alshahhi.

Following the 2016 United States Presidential Election, the defendants repeatedly acted at the way of UAE officers to impact the international coverage positions of the incoming administration in favor of UAE passions.  For example, in December 2016, Barrack fulfilled with Grimes, Alshahhi and senior UAE govt officials, in the course of which he recommended them to produce a “wish list” of U.S. international plan goods that the UAE needed accomplished in the initial 100 times, six months, yr and 4 yrs of the incoming administration of the United States President-Elect.

In March 2017, Barrack and his co-defendants agreed to advertise the candidacy of an personal favored by senior UAE officers for the position of United States Ambassador to the UAE.  In May perhaps 2017, Barrack agreed to give Alshahhi with non-general public facts about the sights and reactions of senior United States authorities officials subsequent a White Home assembly among senior United States officials and senior UAE officers. 

In September 2017, Alshahhi communicated with Barrack about the opposition of the UAE to a proposed summit at Camp David to tackle an ongoing dispute in between the Point out of Qatar, the UAE and other Center Japanese governments, just after which Barrack sought to recommend the President of the United States from holding the Camp David summit.  The summit never ever took place.

In furtherance of the alleged prison conspiracy and perform, Barrack and Grimes, with the help of Alshahhi, acquired a devoted cellular phone and put in a secure messaging application to aid Barrack’s communications with senior UAE officers.

Neither Alshahhi, nor Barrack nor Grimes furnished the required notification to the United States Legal professional Typical that they were being acting in the United States as brokers of a international federal government.

On June 20, 2019, Barrack voluntarily met with FBI particular brokers.  All through the job interview, Barrack allegedly designed quite a few false statements, like falsely denying that Alshahhi had at any time asked for that he choose any actions on behalf of the UAE.

The rates in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed harmless unless and till demonstrated guilty.

The government’s scenario is becoming taken care of by the Office’s General public Integrity Part.  Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Reilly, Ryan Harris, Samuel Nitze and Hiral Mehta of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Matthew McKenzie from the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Command Segment are in cost of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

RASHID SULTAN RASHID AL MALIK ALSHAHHI (also recognized as “Rashid Al Malik” and “Rashid Al‑Malik”)
Age:  43
United Arab Emirates

THOMAS JOSEPH BARRACK
Age:  74
Santa Monica, California

MATTHEW GRIMES
Age:  27
Aspen, Colorado

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-371 (BMC)