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Elliott Broidy
Former RNC Deputy Finance Chairman
Republican fundraiser who pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered foreign agent in a scheme to lobby the Trump administration on behalf of Chinese and Malaysian interests
Overview
Elliott Broidy served as Deputy Finance Chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2017-2018 and was a top fundraiser for Trump. In October 2020, Broidy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to serve as an unregistered agent of a foreign principal. Broidy secretly lobbied Trump administration officials on behalf of Chinese national Jho Low, who was seeking to have the DOJ drop its investigation into the 1MDB Malaysian corruption scandal, one of the largest financial frauds in history ($4.5 billion stolen from Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund). Broidy was paid millions by Low. Separately, Broidy lobbied to have the U.S. extradite Chinese dissident Guo Wengui back to China. In a separate scandal, it was revealed that Broidy had paid $1.6 million in hush money to a Playboy model he had impregnated, with Michael Cohen arranging the payment using the same structure as Trump's Stormy Daniels payment. Broidy was previously convicted in 2009 of paying $1 million in bribes to New York state pension officials to secure $250 million in investments for his firm. Trump pardoned Broidy in January 2021.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Pleaded guilty to secretly lobbying Trump admin for Chinese and Malaysian interests
Paid millions by Jho Low to lobby DOJ to drop 1MDB investigation
Lobbied to extradite Chinese dissident to China
Paid $1.6 million hush money to Playboy model via Michael Cohen
Previously convicted of bribing NY pension officials for $250M in investments
Pardoned by Trump in January 2021
Related Investigations (2)
Criminal Charges & Violations
2 documented violations
18 U.S.C. 371/22 U.S.C. 611Conspiracy to act as unregistered foreign agent - lobbying for Chinese/Malaysian interests (guilty plea; pardoned)(federal)
NY Penal Law 200.04Rewarding official misconduct - bribing NY pension officials ($1M in bribes; previously convicted 2009)(state)
Known Associates & Connections
Jho Low
1MDB fugitive who paid Broidy to lobby Trump admin
Michael Cohen
Trump lawyer who arranged hush money payment
Donald Trump
President who pardoned him
Sources & Documentation
1 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- 1957
- Birthplace
- New York
Education
- •University of Southern California
Key Timeline
2009
Convicted of bribing New York pension officials
2017
Appointed RNC Deputy Finance Chairman
2017-2018
Period of undisclosed lobbying for Jho Low and Chinese interests
2018-04
Hush money payment to Playboy model revealed
2020-10-20
Pleads guilty to acting as unregistered foreign agent
2021-01-20
Pardoned by President Trump