Trump ally Tom Barrack released on $250 million bail

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Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a prominent Los Angeles investor and longtime ally of former President Trump, was released from prison Friday on $250 million bail while awaiting trial on charges of secretly acting as an agent for, and obstruction of, the United Arab Emirates. Justice and lying to the FBI about its work.

US District Judge Patricia Donahoe ordered Barak’s release after the wealthy real estate developer agreed to pay the huge sum as a guarantee that he would not flee the country to avoid prosecution.

Barack gave $5 million in cash and more than 21 million shares in the company he founded, now known as DigitalBridge. His son, Thomas Barrack III, his ex-wife Rachel Barrack, and DigitalBridge CEO Jonathan Grunzweig all signed on to their personal residences. His lawyers also promised to give up Barack’s American and Lebanese passports.

Barack, 74, was not present during the hearing in central Los Angeles, and his lawyers and relatives attended remotely. Since his arrest on Tuesday, he has been held at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga and released with a GPS monitoring bracelet.

After his release from prison, Barack thanked the “wonderful men and women” in the various state and federal agencies involved in his imprisonment.

“They have difficult jobs and they do them with great professionalism,” Barak said in a statement. “I also want to acknowledge the grace and humanity of the gentlemen with whom I have shared a community for the past three days. I am innocent and I will prove it in court.”

During his four days in the 3,340-bed prison, Barack resigned from the boards of USC, First Republic Bank and DigitalBridge.

Thomas J. Barack Jr., a prominent Los Angeles investor, took the podium at the Republican National Convention in 2016.

(Mark J. Terrell/The Associated Press)

Earlier Friday, defendant Barak, Matthew Grimes, 27, was also ordered freed in place of a $5 million bond secured by his parents, Brett and Marissa Grimes, brother, as well as his parents’ home in Santa Barbara.

The two men were ordered to appear in federal court in New York on Monday to appear in court.

After Barak’s arrest, prosecutors sought to keep him in custody, arguing that he posed an escape risk given that he was “a very wealthy and powerful person with strong ties to Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.”

Authorities noted that he has made more than 75 international flights on his private jet over the past five years, including a trip to the UAE in March. Prosecutors also noted that Barak possessed significant foreign assets – and extensive foreign relations – that would “allow him to live comfortably as a fugitive for many years to come.”

As part of the terms of his release, the judge barred Barak from contacting Emirati or Saudi officials; restricted his travel to parts of New York and California included in the Southern and Eastern Counties of the New York federal court system and the Central District of California; required to travel only by car or commercial air carriers; It obligated Barak to provide the government with itineraries long before travel between New York and California.

In the seven-count indictment, Barak is accused of making a secret, years-long effort to shape Trump’s foreign policy as a candidate, and later president, for the UAE.

The indictment stated that four Emirati officials “assigned” Barack and Grimes and a third man, Rashid Al-Malik, to influence public opinion through media appearances. formulating foreign policy positions for the Trump campaign, and later the Trump administration; and developing a “back channel of communication” with the US government that advances Emirati interests.

Prosecutors allege that Barak exerted direct pressure on the Trump administration to abandon the Camp David meeting between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE during a multinational blockade of Qatar and arranged numerous contacts between Emirati officials and members of the Trump campaign and administration.

In a letter to the judge, prosecutors noted that Barak’s work also benefited Saudi Arabia, although he was not accused of acting on behalf of that country. The authorities did not claim that Barak was paid for his work, but according to published reports, a sovereign wealth fund of the Emirates has invested in the company Barak founded, Colony Capital.

Despite his young age, Grimes became a trusted mediator between Barack and the king and “repeatedly expressed his willingness to act at the direction of Emirati officials,” according to the memo that prosecutors sent to the judge.

Grimes worked for Barrack, became close friend, and recently listed Barrack’s Aspen, Colorado, $15 million home as his primary residence. As part of his work, Grimes joined the businessman on dozens of international trips, and prosecutors said he “had access to [Barrack’s] Huge financial resources and private planes.”

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