NEW YORK — Steve Bannon’s newest authorized hassle: a lawsuit alleging he stiffed his former attorneys out of greater than $480,000.
Bannon, a conservative strategist and longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, was sued for breach of contract final week by a Manhattan legislation agency that defended him in a number of latest high-profile authorized battles.
The agency, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP, represented Bannon from 2020 to 2022 in issues together with prison circumstances stemming from his refusal to adjust to a congressional subpoena and from allegations that he duped donors who gave cash to construct a wall on the southern U.S. border.
The agency mentioned it additionally aided Bannon in acquiring a presidential pardon simply earlier than Trump left workplace in 2021.
Davidoff Hutcher & Citron mentioned in its lawsuit that Bannon racked up a invoice totaling greater than $855,000 however that he has solely paid $375,000, in violation of his retainer settlement.
The agency is searching for fee of $480,487, plus curiosity and authorized prices for its lawsuit in opposition to Bannon.
Messages searching for remark had been left for Bannon.
Trump’s pardon, in January 2021, compelled federal prosecutors to drop Bannon from a prison case involving the “We Construct the Wall” fundraising marketing campaign. Manhattan prosecutors revived the matter in September with state-level expenses, which aren’t lined by presidential pardons.
Bannon, 69, has pleaded not responsible to cash laundering, conspiracy, fraud and different expenses.
The New York case is pending with but extra authorized drama: Bannon has till subsequent week to search out new attorneys after his present attorneys, who will not be affiliated with Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, mentioned they’ve “irreconcilable” variations about learn how to proceed.
Bannon is accused of falsely promising donors that every one cash given to “We Construct the Wall” would go to constructing a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, as an alternative utilizing the funds to complement folks concerned within the venture. Prosecutors say Bannon was concerned in transferring tons of of hundreds of {dollars} to third-party entities and utilizing them to funnel funds to 2 different folks concerned within the scheme.
The Manhattan indictment didn’t establish these folks by title, however the particulars match these of Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato, who pleaded responsible to federal expenses in April. A 3rd defendant, Timothy Shea, was convicted in October.
Bannon was convicted final July of contempt for defying a subpoena from the Home committee investigating the Jan. 6 revolt on the U.S. Capitol. He was sentenced in October to 4 months in jail. However he stays free whereas he appeals.
Bannon, a former U.S. Navy officer and Harvard MBA, labored as an funding banker at Goldman Sachs and as a Hollywood producer earlier than turning to politics. One in every of his most notable offers left him with a share of “Seinfeld” royalties.
He took over the conservative information website Breitbart Information in 2012, had a number one function within the late levels of Trump’s 2016 presidential marketing campaign and labored within the White Home for about seven months as Trump’s chief strategist. He now hosts a pro-Trump podcast referred to as “Bannon’s Battle Room.”
