” scheme, has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison for crimes related to the online crowdfunding campaign.
Shea was convicted last year of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice. Federal prosecutors have said he joined Bannon and others in misusing funds they ostensibly raised to build the wall that former President Donald Trump vowed to erect along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bannon served as chair of the advisory board for WeBuildTheWall Inc.
Trump, of course, repeatedly said as president that he’d make Mexico pay for the wall, so any push to have Trump supporters pay for it was always destined to be a grift. But the fact that multiple people involved have now received prison time suggests this particular grift wasn’t just immoral — it was illegal.
Along with Shea, two other men — Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato — were federally charged in the scheme. They