Thread by @VickyPJWard

My sources in NY real estate are asking if the indictment against Tom Barrack is actually about Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) violations or if it’s just another way to get to Trump, if Weisselberg does not talk.

The other speculation is that this is a way to get to Kushner, since Barrack’s dealings were more with Kushner than Trump.

Tom Barrack’s connections are all over the place, and he has long had his name tied with allegations of crony capitalism.

He shows up in Epstein's black book with 9 phone numbers associated under his name: nymag.com/intelligencer/…

I reported in “Kushner, Inc.” that, in 2011, when Jared Kushner needed help with the ill-fated 666 Fifth Ave—by then under water—Trump put him in touch with Barrack.

Barrack’s investment firm, Colony Capital, raised significant amounts of money from the Middle East. When Kushner called him for help back in 2011, Barrack had just set up a debt fund, so the timing was good.

Without approaching any of the other lenders (which would have been normal procedure in such circumstances), Colony went right to Paramount Group and bought half of its debt.

As I report in my book, Barrack introduced Kushner to the UAE ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, who had invested at least $1M with Barrack. “You will love him, and he agrees with our agenda,” Barrack had written to Otaiba. Otaiba reported to the crown prince of Abu Dhabi—known as MBZ.

Barrack is also the person who recommended to Kushner and Ivanka that the Trump campaign hire an old political friend of his to help out: Paul Manafort.

Everyone with D.C. political experience knew Manafort was sleazy, and he’d been out of U.S. politics for ten years because of his ties to foreign powers—he’d taken money from Ukrainian oligarchs, Russians, and anyone who would pay him.

Manafort was not particular if that money “went through 25 foreign bank accounts” and he violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires people who lobby for foreign interests to register with the federal government.

“He’s never understood in his entire life that the implications of his relationships are enough to sink him,” Manafort’s former colleague said.

Federal election laws bar campaigns from knowingly soliciting contributions from “foreign nationals”—a category that includes foreign citizens, corporations, and governments.

These laws bar people and entities from contributing to a campaign anything of value—directly or indirectly, money or otherwise (with some limited exceptions). Foreign nationals are also barred from having decision-making authority in U.S. political campaigns.

Barrack felt confident enough in the new friendship to write to Otaiba, “I would like to align in Donald’s mind the connection between the UAE & Saudi Arabia, which we have already started with Jared.” Barrack said Manafort was “totally programmed" on the alignment of the UAE.

Barrack was also appointed to run Trump’s inauguration committee.

Soon after the election, Barrack’s jet touched down in Qatar around the time the Qatar Investment Authority was finalizing negotiations, as part of a deal with a Swiss mining firm, to purchase a nearly 20% stake in Rosneft—the Russian state oil company—for $12.2 billion.

An Italian banking group, Intesa Sanpaolo—which, according to a source with knowledge, has ties to Barrack—would be involved in the transfer of funds.

A few months later, Barrack asked Trump for the ambassadorship to Brazil, according to a source. Trump turned him down, fearing he might not pass a Senate confirmation hearing.

Barrack went on to try to wield influence in other ways, including advising Trump and Kushner on how to bring peace to the Middle East.

And now Barrack has been charged with acting as an agent of a foreign government. It will be VERY interesting to see how this all plays out. As they say: Stay tuned…

Barrack was spotted a few days ago in Aspen. Sources say he has just bought a new yacht. Possibly, he won’t have that much time to spend on it in the near future.