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We Build the Wall co-founder sentenced to prison for defrauding donors

Brian Kolfage leaves court after being sentenced for defrauding donors to the "We Build the Wall" effort, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in New York. The co-founder of a fundraising group linked to Steve Bannon that promised to help Donald Trump construct a wall along the southern U.S. border has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison.
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Brian Kolfage leaves court after being sentenced for defrauding donors to the "We Build the Wall" effort, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in New York. The co-founder of a fundraising group linked to Steve Bannon that promised to help Donald Trump construct a wall along the southern U.S. border has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison.

The co-founder of a fundraising group that promised to help Donald Trump construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Brian Kolfage was sentenced Wednesday for defrauding donors to the We Build the Wall effort. He had previously pleaded guilty to the charges. A co-defendant, financier Andrew Badolato, was also sentenced to three years for his part in aiding the scheme.

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was also charged but received a pardon hours before Trump left office. Bannon now faces fresh charges in state court.

Bannon, Kolfage and others were charged with felonies related to the diversion of more than a million dollars from donors, nearly half of which illegally went to Kolfage for personal use.