"Ex-Trump Associates to Plead Guilty to Concealed Foreign Lobbying Charges"

The Justice Department has charged political consultants Barry P. Bennett and Douglas Watts with providing false information about their lobbying efforts for Qatar during the Trump administration. Bennett, a former Trump campaign adviser, led a covert campaign to advance Qatari interests and denigrate a rival nation through a company called Yemen Crisis Watch, which was not disclosed in FARA filings. Both consultants have reached deferred prosecution agreements, with Bennett agreeing to pay a $100,000 fine. The case is part of broader investigations into Qatar's influence campaign during the Trump era.