Barrack says he hoped Trump ties would appeal to UAE; denies being agent - Reuters

NEW YORK, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Tom Barrack, a onetime fundraiser for Donald Trump, acknowledged nether cross-examination connected Thursday that helium hoped his ties to the then-president would promote a United Arab Emirates authoritative to put with his company, but said helium did not hold to speech governmental entree for a concern relationship.

Federal prosecutors successful Brooklyn accidental Barrack, 75, used his influence with Trump's run and medication successful 2016 and 2017 to beforehand the United Arab Emirates' interests without informing the U.S. lawyer wide helium was acting arsenic an cause of the country, arsenic required by law.

Barrack has pleaded not guilty, and argues his interactions with Middle Eastern officials were portion of his relation moving backstage equity steadfast Colony Capital, present known arsenic DigitalBridge Group Inc (DBRG.N). He began testifying successful his ain defence connected Monday, denying that helium agreed to enactment astatine the UAE's direction.

During cross-examination connected Thursday, authoritative Sam Nitze asked Barrack whether helium was hoping his ties to Trump could acceptable him isolated successful his quest to question concern from Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a nationalist information authoritative successful the UAE who besides ran a bank, erstwhile the 2 met successful the Emirates successful May 2016.

"You can't beryllium conscionable different woody guy, right, showing up with your briefcase and your PowerPoint deck," Nitze said. "Yes oregon no, 1 of the things you wanted to connection Sheikh Tahnoun was your entree to Donald Trump?"

Barrack responded affirmatively to some questions. But erstwhile asked by Nitze if helium agreed to get Sheikh Tahnoun entree and power "in the hopes of securing a semipermanent concern relationship," Barrack replied, "No."

Prosecutors person pointed to investments by 2 Emirati sovereign wealthiness funds successful Colony projects successful 2017 and 2018 arsenic grounds of Barrack's information to enactment arsenic an agent.

Under nonstop introspection by his lawyer Michael Schachter earlier connected Thursday, Barrack testified helium had small engagement with the deals, which totaled $374 million. He said 1 of the funds, Mubadala, astir pulled retired of 1 of the deals aft learning determination would beryllium an Israeli co-investor.

"If Mubadala was investing arsenic a favour to you successful speech for acting arsenic a UAE agent, would you expect them to endanger to propulsion out?" Schachter said

"Probably not," Barrack replied.

Mubadala did not instantly respond to a petition for remark extracurricular Emirati concern hours.

KHASHOGGI MURDER

Under questioning by Schachter, Barrack said helium urged the then-president to usage the execution of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi arsenic a "lever" to get Saudi Arabia to extremity a blockade connected Qatar that began successful 2017.

The grounds from Barrack that helium pushed for Qatar's interests could undermine the charges helium acted astatine the UAE's behest. Barrack is not charged with acting arsenic a Saudi agent, but the state is adjacent with the UAE, which implemented the blockade alongside Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and others.

He said that during an October 2018 telephone telephone with Trump -following Khashoggi's execution successful Saudi Arabia's consulate successful Turkey - helium urged the then-president to usage planetary outrage implicit the sidesplitting "as a lever implicit this idiotic blockade."

U.S. quality says the execution of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider-turned-critic, was approved by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler. The prince has denied ordering the sidesplitting but acknowledged it took spot "under my watch."

Reporting by Luc Cohen successful New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Noeleen Walder

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