AP: Saudi tycoon donated to Obama inauguration through a middleman

A fundraiser who raised millions of dollars for both Democrats and Republicans reportedly pleaded guilty earlier this month to making illegal donations to multiple American political candidates on behalf of foreign nationals, including to former President Obama’s second inauguration fund in 2012.

Imaad Zuberi, 49, is also set to plead guilty to lobbying high-level U.S. officials while working as a foreign agent, The Associated Press reports.

Notably, Zuberi funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Saudi tycoon Sheikh Mohammed Al Rahbani and his associates into Obama’s inauguration. 

{mosads}He reportedly also was a top fundraiser for Obama and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton during their presidential campaigns.

In 2016, he switched his support to President Trump, donating nearly $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee.

According to the AP, records from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show that Zuberi made hundreds of donations to both the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, as well as dozens of congressional candidates across both parties, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.).

Zuberi has reportedly been the sole person charged with any crimes in the case, and prosecutors have not claimed that any of the campaigns that received money from him were aware of its foreign origins.

The Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s Office’s prosecution of Zuberi follows that of Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, associates of Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who pleaded not guilty to similar charges last week. 

Rahbani, Zuberi’s attorneys and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles all declined to comment to the AP.

The news wire also sent requests for comment to Graham, Clinton and Engel.