Conservative firebrand Steve Bannon pleaded guilty to defrauding donors in a fundraising effort to build a wall along the southern US border in a deal that allowed him to avoid prison.

Conservative strategist Steve Bannon has pleaded guilty to a fraud charge related to duping donors who gave money to a private effort to build a wall along the U.S. southern border.

President Trump had already pardoned his longtime adviser in a similar federal case, which accused him of skimming money from donations to build a southern border barrier.