Guilty plea in Hawaii woman's lobbying of Trump officials

An American consultant pleed guilty Monday in an illicit lobbying effort to get Trump ministration to drop an investigation into multibillion-dollar looting of a Malaysian state investment fund, and to arrange for return of a Chinese dissident living in U.S.

Federal prosecutors say Nickie Mali Lum Davis failed to disclose to federal government that lobbying effort was done on behalf of a fugitive Malaysian financier who has been charged in U.S. with conspiring to launder billions of dollars from fund.

Davis, 45, pleed guilty to a single count involving a violation of Foreign nts Registration Act, which requires individuals enlisted by foreign entities to lobby U.S. government to register that work with Justice Department.

Davis said that she knew government contacts she me would require registration but she “willfully failed to register.”

charge arises from complicated saga of 1MDB, a Malaysian wealth fund that was established more than a dece ago to accelerate country’s ecomic development but that prosecutors say was actually treated as a piggy bank by associates of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

U.S. prosecutors allege that at least $4.5 billion was stolen from fund and laundered by Najib’s associates to finance Hollywood films and buy hotels, a luxury yacht, artwork, jewelry and or extravagances. Najib was sentenced in Malaysia last month to 12 years in prison.

effort to wipe away legal troubles for Malaysian financier who prosecutors say helped orchestrate pilfering was ultimately unsuccessful.

Justice Department in 2018 charged Jho Low, who remains at large, in connection with alleged money laundering and last year reached a civil settlement to recover more than $700 million in assets that officials say are traceable to looted funds. Low denies any wrongdoing and did t mit any guilt or liability as part of settlement.

latest case accuses Davis of working with a politically connected fundraiser with close ties to President Donald Trump to press Justice Department to abandon forfeiture claims seeking recovery of assets purchased with laundered proceeds.

Davis faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine when she's sentenced in January.

Prosecutors say Davis is cooperating with U.S. government. As part of a plea agreement where prosecutors agree t to pursue ditional charges against her, she must forfeit $3 million in proceeds from offense.

She pleed guilty via video from Los Angeles during a hearing in Holulu, where she is charged. When judge asked if she lives in Beverly Hills, her attorneys said she lives in California and has a home in Hawaii.

U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi said she isn't allowed to travel without court approval anywhere besides two states.

Abbe David Lowell, one of her defense attorneys, said Davis needs to travel internationally for business and to meet with her attorneys and prosecutors in Washington, D.C.

Kobayashi said that wouldn't be possible without her permission. Details of Davis' travel must be provided in vance, judge said.

“ government wants her to travel all over world because she's cooperating — that's ir kuleana,” she said, using Hawaiian word that can mean “responsibility.”

judge's responsibility is safety of community and ensuring that Davis doesn't disappear, she said.

Kobayashi said she won't grant Davis special treatment because of her wealth.

Lowell said his client isn't a flight risk, ting Davis has a 6-year-old daughter in Los Angeles.

Kobayashi disagreed, saying Davis has resources to flee, along with motivation of a serious charge that will likely involve some prison time.

“She has a high risk of n-appearance,” Kobayashi said.

(Im Credit: AP)