A key figure in the Trump-Russia investigation is also a convicted pedophile


Lebanese-American businessman and international fixer George Nader was on his way to Mar-a-Lago in January when Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators stopped him during a Dulles layover, seized his electronics, and released him to his lawyer, The Associated Press reports, citing people familiar with the case. Mueller is investigating Russian election meddling in 2016 and President Trump's campaign, and Nader — who, AP reports, was convicted of pedophilia in Prague 15 years ago — agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation.
Mueller is reportedly looking into two high-level meetings Nader attended after Trump's election: one in Trump Tower with Jared Kushner, Stephen Bannon, and the crown prince who leads the United Arab Emirates and employs Nader as an adviser, Mohammed bin Zayed; and the second in the Seychelles involving bin Zayed, alleged Trump secret envoy Erik Prince, and Russian banker Kirill Dmitriev, who is close with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prague Municipal Court spokeswoman Marketa Puci told AP on Wednesday that Nader was convicted of 10 cases of sexually abusing minors between 1999 and 2002, and sentenced to a year in a Prague prison in 2003. He was specifically convicted of "moral corruption of minors, sexual abuse, and impairing morals," after paying or offering to pay underage boys for sex, Puci told AP, which saw a copy of the verdict. Sandeep Savla, a lawyer for Nader, called the newly revealed conviction "nothing more than an orchestrated, disgusting scheme by those who are trying to intimidate Mr. Nader into silence. It won't work. Mr. Nader will continue to answer truthfully questions put to him by the special counsel." You can read more about Nader and his legal woes at AP.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Help! Do we really need four Beatles biopics?
Talking Point The cast of Sam Mendes' Beatles biopics has been announced
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Test driving the Rolls-Royce Spectre Black Badge
The Week Recommends We take the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever built for a spin in Barcelona
By Fergus Scholes Published
-
Tuberculosis is seeing a resurgence, and it's only going to get worse
Under the radar The spread of the deadly infection is buoyed by global unrest
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Sen. Booker's 25-hour speech beats Thurmond
Speed Read He spoke for the longest time in recorded Senate history, protesting the Trump administration's policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bondi seeks death penalty for Luigi Mangione
Speed Read Mangione was charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats win costly Wisconsin court seat
Speed Read Democrats prevailed in an election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court despite Elon Musk's robust financial support of the Republican candidate
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
WHCA rejects White House press seating grab
Speed Read The White House Correspondents' Association objected to the Trump administration's bid to control where journalists sit during press briefings
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sends more migrants to El Salvador jail
Speed Read Another 17 Venezuelan alleged gang members have been deported to a notorious prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd term
Speed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published