Elliott Broidy

In October 2020, Elliott Broidy — who had served as Deputy Finance Chair of the Republican National Committee during the early Trump administration — pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Broidy admitted accepting millions of dollars from fugitive Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho ('Jho Low') — accused of orchestrating the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB embezzlement scheme — in exchange for lobbying the DOJ to drop its effort to seize Low's U.S. assets. Broidy received at least $6 million upfront and was promised up to $75 million contingent on success. Broidy also pleaded guilty to undisclosed lobbying on behalf of Chinese interests seeking the return of a Chinese dissident.

• Wikipedia — Elliott Broidy
• CBS LA — GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy pleads guilty to conspiracy in foreign lobbying effort
• Washington Post — Elliott Broidy pleads guilty to acting as unregistered foreign agent (2020-10-20)
• The Hill — Ex-RNC fundraiser pleads guilty to foreign lobbying charge

On January 19, 2021 — his final full day in office — President Donald Trump pardoned Elliott Broidy before sentencing. The pardon does not vacate the underlying FARA guilty plea.

• Axios — Trump pardons former GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy (2021-01-20)
• Wikipedia — Elliott Broidy
• DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney — Pardons Granted by President Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)