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“We have moved big mountains to make sure Mr. Barrack can get out before the weekend so he can get to New York and appear for his arraignment on Monday,” Herrington said in a video hearing before the American investigating judge Patricia, based in Los Angeles. Donahue.
Herrington and fellow Barrack defense attorney Ronak Desai joined the hearing from a vehicle outside the West Valley Detention Center in San Bernardino, Calif., Where their client was being held.
Prosecutors did not detail the reasons for the unusually large bail on Friday, but in a hearing earlier this week Barrack poses an unusual risk of flight due to his wealth – estimated at $ 1 billion by the magazine. Forbes – and his connections abroad.
Barrack, 74, is accused of using his high-level contacts in the Trump administration to influence Middle East policy under the leadership of UAE officials, providing them with inside information about plans and altering speeches or other public statements by Trump. most favorable to the UAE and one of its allies, Saudi Arabia. The formal charges against Barrack are with failure to register as a foreign agent, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and four counts of misrepresenting the FBI.
The indictment is vague on how Barrack was compensated for his efforts, but communications referenced in the case discussed various investment opportunities. His private investment firm, Colony Capital, has reportedly received around $ 1.5 billion in investment funds from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
As part of the bail deal, the judge ordered Barrack to have no contact with UAE or Saudi officials, be subject to an overnight curfew and be subject to GPS location monitoring.
Barrack stepped down as CEO of Colony Capital last year and executive chairman of the company in April. However, Colony Capital’s chief investment officer Jonathan Grunzweig agreed to pledge his house as part of the bond, as did Barrack’s ex-wife Rachelle and son Thomas Barrack III.
Barrack has already posted $ 5 million in cash, his lawyers said. The judge said all or part of the remainder of the $ 250 million would come from Barrack’s shares in another investment firm, Digital Bridge Holdings.
Earlier on Friday, the same judge also agreed to release on bail an aide to Barrack also indicted in the case, Nathan Grimes. Grimes’ bond has been set at $ 5 million.
A UAE businessman who allegedly mediated Barrack and Grimes with officials there, Rashid Al-Malik, has also been charged in the case. Prosecutors say he left the United States in 2019, three days after being questioned by the FBI. Federal authorities quickly obtained an arrest warrant for Al-Malik, but he did not return to the United States
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