Washington, May 29 (AP) US President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of a former political fundraiser, who corruptly bought access to several high-profile US politicians, including the president's former rivals Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.
Imaad Zuberi was sentenced in 2021 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of tax evasion, campaign finance violations and failing to register as a foreign agent.
Federal prosecutors described Zuberi as a “mercenary” donor who gave to anyone he thought could help him. Pay to play, Zuberi explained to clients, was just “how America work(s)".
An investigation by The Associated Press found that Zuberi used a straw donor scheme with cutouts that included a dead person and the names of people prosecutors say he made up.
The AP's investigation found several instances where Zuberi-linked donations to members of Congress occurred within a few weeks or even days of him receiving something he sought in return.
Zuberi also claimed to be a CIA asset, according to classified court filings reviewed by the AP.
After raising huge amounts for Clinton in the 2016 election, Zuberi became a top donor to Trump's first presidential inaugural committee. (AP) ARI