GOP Strategist Convicted for Scheme Involving Illegal Foreign Contribution to Trump Campaign

File photo showing then-Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) signing a copy of the U.S. Constitution for a supporter as Paul’s then-campaign manager Jesse Benton (C) looks on, at an event in Las Vegas, Nev., on May 17, 2011. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Longtime GOP political strategist Jesse Benton has been convicted on campaign finance charges for his role in helping a Russian citizen illegally funnel a political donation to former President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and have his photo taken with Trump.

Benton, a former top aide to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), acted as a “straw donor” when he took $100,000 of a Russian foreign national’s money, used $25,000 to buy a ticket to a fundraising event for Trump, and pocketed the remaining $75,000, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement.

Benton’s attorney, Brian Stolarz, told CNN in a statement that the jury “got it wrong” in handing down a guilty verdict and that his client will appeal.

“This was not some grand conspiracy to get $25,000 of Russian money into the Trump campaign, rather it was for a multi-level marketer and Instagram influencer to get a picture with a celebrity to enhance his image,” Stolarz said, according to CNN.

Stolarz said in closing arguments in Benton’s trial that the Russian national, a former Russian naval officer turned multilevel marketer named Roman Vasilenko, was simply looking to bolster his image on social media by having his photo taken with celebrities, according to The Washington Post.

“If Oprah was available,” Stolarz said, “we wouldn’t even be here,” adding that Vasilenko discussed with an associate of Benton’s the possibility of having his photo taken with other celebrities, including Steven Segal and Michelle Obama.

“He wants to be an influencer,” Stolarz said, per The Washington Post. “This is just shameless self-promotion from a guy who can afford to take this picture” and “not some nefarious backroom scheme to funnel millions of dollars from Russia.”

But the DOJ said Benton’s actions amounted to funneling an illegal foreign campaign contribution from a foreign national.

Benton effected a “conduit contribution” when he arranged for the Russian national to wire him $100,000 “for the purposes of making an illegal foreign contribution” to Trump’s campaign, DOJ said.

He also falsely claimed he contributed the $25,000, leading campaign operatives to unwittingly file inaccurate reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that identified Vasilenko, not Benton, as the source of the funds.

“To disguise the scheme, Benton created a fake invoice, which falsely identified the funds as payment for consulting services,” the Justice Department said.

Benton also concealed the nationality of the donor from the campaign when he arranged for Vasilenko to attend the September 2016 Republican National Committee event for Trump and have his photo taken with Trump.

“Benton was convicted of conspiring to solicit and cause an illegal campaign contribution by a foreign national, effecting a conduit contribution, and causing false records to be filed with the FEC,” the Justice Department said.

Benton faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the top count.

This is not the first time Benton has been convicted for campaign finance violations.

In May 2016, Benton was found guilty of illegally facilitating the transfer of $73,000 to an Iowa state senator in exchange for endorsing Ron Paul in his 2012 bid for the presidency.