Imaad Zuberi (left) | AP Photo California investor charged with obstructing probe of Trump inaugural donation

A prolific California donor who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations now faces a fresh charge for allegedly trying to stymie an investigation into the source of money he donated to the Trump inauguration committee.

Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York unveiled an obstruction of justice charge against Imaad Zuberi, an investor who last year pleaded guilty to making illegal campaign contributions and failing to disclose his lobbying work on behalf of foreign clients. Zuberi has a long history of donating millions of dollars to both Democrats and Republicans, including a $900,000 outlay for the Trump inaugural.


Zuberi sought to undermine a grand jury investigation into the source of that donation, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman alleged in a filing. The document says Zuberi concealed the fact that some of that money came from one of his clients, for which Zuberi had promised “exclusive access to certain inaugural events.”

After Zuberi learned he was being investigated, prosecutors allege, he returned that donor’s money and back-dated a check to make it appear he had refunded the donor before learning of potential prosecution. Zuberi also deleted emails that illustrated his financial activity, prosecutors allege.