Alina Habba Mildon, a former lawyer for President Trump, recently stormed into the White House and set off a personal feud by accusing another Trump ally of skimming money from a philanthropic donation. She claimed the donation had been made by her husband, Turhan Mildon, a Turkish businessman she met and married this year. The accusation was directed at Richard Grenell, who had served as the president's special envoy to Venezuela and president of the Kennedy Center.
Mr. Trump directed aides to investigate. White House officials concluded that a key element of Mr. Mildon's story did not add up. They found that the $17.6 million in question came not from Mr. Mildon but from a government account in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he has built ties to leading politicians and won business contracts. The payment appears to have gone to a Texas company with ties to Mr. Grenell for what U.S. officials say seems to be a software contract for Congo. Mr. Mildon has declined to comment on the investigation, and Mr. Grenell has denied the accusations.
The scrutiny is now exposing other inconsistencies in how Mr. Mildon, a self-described billionaire who has pursued business deals in Africa and Venezuela, has portrayed his background and wealth. A spokesman denied that he has misrepresented any part of his background, calling it an attempt to damage his reputation. However, documents and interviews suggest he has made misleading or disputed statements about his businesses, influence, marriages and even his age. Mr. Mildon has told news organizations he is 29, but documents, his U.S. visa, and his Turkish passport list his birth date as December 2000, and former classmates say he is 25.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing