We Build the Wall Fraud Case
Last updated: November 21, 2025
Status: Multiple founders convicted of federal fraud and money-laundering offences. Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato sentenced in 2023; Timothy Shea convicted at trial. Steve Bannon received a federal pardon in January 2021 but remains charged in a separate New York state case.
Summary
We Build the Wall was a privately organised fundraising campaign launched in late 2018 that promised to construct sections of a wall along the U.S.–Mexico border. Promoted as a grassroots, citizen-driven effort to “do what Congress wouldn’t,” it quickly went viral and raised more than 25 million dollars from over 300,000 online donors. Within two years, the project collapsed amid serious allegations of deception. Federal prosecutors accused its leadership of secretly siphoning money for personal expenses while assuring the public that every dollar would be used for border-wall construction.
In August 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed indictments charging key organisers with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The government alleged that the group’s leaders lied repeatedly to donors, used elaborate financial structures to conceal illicit payments, and exploited a polarising national issue to generate substantial personal enrichment. Several defendants were later convicted or pleaded guilty, while Steve Bannon, one of the high-profile advisers to the initiative, received a presidential pardon shortly before the end of the Trump administration.
Origins of the Campaign
The effort began as a GoFundMe campaign created by Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage in December 2018. Kolfage, who lost both legs and an arm in Iraq, positioned the campaign as a patriotic alternative to congressional gridlock. His message resonated with an audience angered by stalled border-security negotiations, and donations surged rapidly. Within days, millions of dollars had been raised, accompanied by widespread media coverage and political commentary.
Because GoFundMe rules required that donations be returned if the stated purpose could not be fulfilled, Kolfage announced the creation of a nonprofit entity, We Build the Wall Inc., to transfer funds and undertake privately built wall construction. The organisation attracted prominent political figures, including Steve Bannon and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who joined the advisory board. Their involvement lent the project a veneer of legitimacy, helping it sustain its rapid fundraising pace.
The organisation ultimately targeted privately owned parcels of land near the southern border, with the stated goal of building short segments of fencing and encouraging public-private collaboration on border security. The pitch emphasised transparency, efficiency, and a promise that “100 percent of funds” would be used for construction.
Fraud Allegations
Despite repeated public promises that leadership would not receive compensation, federal prosecutors later alleged the opposite. According to charging documents, Kolfage secretly diverted more than 350,000 dollars for personal use, which he used for home renovations, a boat, personal lifestyle expenses, and other items. Prosecutors said he was paid through shell companies and structured transactions designed to hide the transfers from donors.
Steve Bannon, while publicly stating the project was run “by volunteers,” was accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars through a nonprofit he controlled. Prosecutors alleged he and others routed payments through third parties and disguised them with false invoices. Two additional associates, Andrew Badolato and Timothy Shea, were also charged with participating in the scheme.
The indictment described the entire operation as a coordinated effort to deceive donors by concealing compensation arrangements and misrepresenting the nonprofit’s finances. The arrests in August 2020 drew national attention, particularly because Bannon was detained aboard a yacht belonging to a Chinese businessman, while other defendants were arrested in Florida and Colorado.
Legal Outcomes
Steve Bannon pleaded not guilty and contested the charges until President Donald Trump pardoned him in January 2021, preventing the federal case against him from moving forward. The pardon did not apply to state charges later brought in New York.
Brian Kolfage and Andrew Badolato each pleaded guilty in 2022. In 2023, Kolfage was sentenced to just over four years in federal prison, while Badolato received a three-year term. Prosecutors emphasised that the two had misled donors about the nature of their compensation and knowingly participated in a scheme to siphon contributions for personal benefit.
Timothy Shea chose to go to trial. He was convicted of conspiracy and related offences, with prosecutors portraying his operation of shell entities as essential to the scheme.
In public statements, federal prosecutors characterised the operation as “a textbook example of exploiting political passions for personal gain,” citing repeated lies to donors and systematic concealment of payments.
The Wall Itself
Despite raising more than 25 million dollars, only a tiny portion of the funds went toward actual construction. Two short stretches of fencing were completed: one near Sunland Park, New Mexico, and another on private land in Texas.
Both sites were troubled. The New Mexico construction was built on difficult terrain and soon showed signs of erosion. In Texas, the steel fencing reportedly shifted within months of installation, prompting engineering concerns and warnings from local officials. Experts said the structures lacked adequate review, permitting, and long-term planning. Critics also noted that the limited segments provided little meaningful security benefit.
The limited and poorly executed construction reinforced the government’s argument that the project’s promotional claims were inconsistent with its operations, and that donors were misled about both financial management and engineering viability.
Political and Social Fallout
The We Build the Wall case became a prominent example of how emotionally charged political issues can be co-opted for fraudulent purposes. The initiative tapped into genuine frustration among a segment of the American public, positioning itself as grassroots activism. Its rapid fundraising success showed the power of online political mobilisation but also the risks of unregulated crowdfunding in highly polarised contexts.
While Bannon avoided federal prison because of the presidential pardon, the scandal harmed his public image and contributed to broader scrutiny of political fundraising networks, online misinformation, and nonprofit transparency. For many observers, the case underscored the importance of verifying claims made by political actors operating outside traditional regulatory oversight.
Key Takeaways
Funds raised: Over 25 million dollars
Funds misused: Hundreds of thousands diverted for personal use
Key figures: Brian Kolfage, Steve Bannon, Andrew Badolato, Timothy Shea
Federal charges: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering
Outcome: Kolfage and Badolato imprisoned; Shea convicted; Bannon pardoned at the federal level
Sources
U.S. Department of Justice – Press Release (August 2020)
AP News – “We Build the Wall defendant sentenced to prison” (July 2023)
Texas Tribune – Coverage of investigation and charges
Texas Tribune – Reporting on structural issues with private wall construction