Erik Larson | Bloomberg
NEW YORK — The New York attorney general has been investigating former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who was pardoned by Donald Trump on his last day as president, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Letitia James, New York’s top law enforcement officer, has been working with Manhattan prosecutors who in February started gathering information in a probe into whether Bannon defrauded contributors for “We Build the Wall,” said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing the matter.
“We Build the Wall” was a private-sector effort to support Trump’s 2016 campaign promise to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Bannon was charged with fraud in federal court last year over the alleged scheme, leading to his pardon hours before Trump left the White House. Yet Trump can’t shield his former aide to the state-level probes because presidential pardons apply only to federal cases.
James deputized staff to work closely with prosecutors in the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who issued subpoenas for records related to Bannon’s fundraising efforts, the person said.
Robert Costello, Bannon’s lawyer, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Washington Post reported the attorney general’s role earlier.
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