NEW YORK, (Reuters) – A U.S. judge set a September date for Thomas Barrack’s trial for illegally lobbying the United Arab Emirates.

Barrack was 74 years old and chaired Trump’s 2017 inaugural fund. He also visited the White House frequently. He pleaded https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-ally-barrack-pleads-not-guilty-uae-lobbying-case-2021-07-26 not guilty in July to seven criminal counts related to allegations he secretly lobbied the Trump administration for the UAE between 2016 and 2018, and lied to investigators about his ties to the country.

U.S. district judge Brian Cogan announced that the jury selection process in Brooklyn federal court will start on Sept. 7 and that trial proceedings would follow shortly. Hiral Mehta, Assistant U.S. attorney, stated that he anticipated the trial would last for three weeks but it was “cautious”.

The ruling came after Daniel Petrocelli, a lawyer for Barrack, asked that a trial begin as soon as possible, arguing the time that has gone by since his July 2021 arrest https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-ally-barrack-pleads-not-guilty-uae-lobbying-case-2021-07-26 had taken an “excruciating and devastating toll on Mr. Barrack.”

Barrack was released https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-ally-barrack-reaches-bail-package-deal-with-prosecutors-2021-07-23 from custody pending trial in July after reaching an agreement with prosecutors that called for him to put up a $250 million bond secured by $5 million in cash.

Petrocelli stated that he will move for dismissal of the case in this month.

Billionaire Barrack is the founder of digital infrastructure-focused private equity firm DigitalBridge Group Inc, formerly known as Colony Capital (NYSE:). Former roles of chief executive and executive chair in the company’s past two-years have been taken over by Barrack.