Trump's inaugural committee chairman arrested amid criminal probe of allegedly misused funds

The chairman of former President Donald Trump's 2017 inauguration has been arrested amid a continuing investigation into inauguration funds that were allegedly misused.

NBC News' Tom Winter reports that longtime Trump friend Thomas Barrack was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The United States Department of Justice now says that it is charging Barrack for participating in an illegal political influence campaign at the behest of the government of the United Arab Emirates.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark Lesko of the Justice Department's National Security Division said that Barrack and three other codefendants are being charged with acting and conspiring to act as agents of the UAE.

Additionally, Barrack faces separate charges of obstruction of justice and making multiple false statements to law enforcement officials.

Barrack has been the subject of much legal scrutiny over the years, including an investigation into potential tax fraud in Italy. He has also reportedly been under scrutiny of investigators for his role in allegedly pushing the Trump administration to give Saudi Arabia the green light for a major expansion of its nuclear energy program.