A Staten Island man was convicted on federal charges for orchestrating an illegal straw donation scheme in connection to a 2019 Trump reelection campaign fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago.
Xinyue “Daniel” Lou, 59, who resides in Great Kills according to public records, was convicted on two felony counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States and making contributions in the names of others.
The verdict followed deliberations that began Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn Federal Court.
According to prosecutors, Lou had arranged with the Trump fund-raising committee that he would receive two V.I.P. tickets and photo opportunities with Trump if he raised $25,000.
Lou recruited individuals to attend the March 10, 2019, campaign fundraiser, promising to reimburse them for their contributions to the Trump Victory Committee.
According to prosecutors, he collected over $39,000 in donation checks and handed out equivalent amounts in cash as reimbursements to repay those who had helped conceal where it had come from.
As a Chinese national, Lou was ineligible to make campaign contributions, prosecutors explained.
The scheme violated federal election laws that prohibit straw donations — contributions made in someone else’s name or with reimbursed funds. Court documents show Lou’s reimbursements exceeded $25,000 during the calendar year.
“Status. Perks. Access. That’s why the defendant planned and carried out the illegal fundraising scheme,” prosecutor Meredith Arfa told jurors during closing arguments. She argued that Lou was motivated by the opportunity to meet President Trump and gain political influence.
Defense attorney Marissa Sherman argued that Lou did not know his actions were illegal and operated openly.
“Mr. Lou announced in a public WeChat post with hundreds of people that anyone who wanted to go to the fundraiser would have their contribution covered,” Sherman said. “There is no better evidence that Mr. Lou thought what he was doing was legal than that.”
According to court documents, evidence presented during the trial included business cards, flight itineraries, and photographs showing Lou’s travel to Florida for the fundraiser.
Prosecutors also showed financial records of large cash withdrawals and Trump Victory Finance Committee agreements that clearly stated reimbursed donations were prohibited and “strictly enforced by the Department of Justice.”
Court documents also note that on March 8, 2019, Lou sent an electronic message to an individual identified as “Individual No. 1.” The next day, he provided approximately $5,600 in cash to that person as reimbursement for a contribution allegedly made in their name.
Multiple witnesses who attended the event testified that they received cash reimbursements matching their donation amounts. The government presented the scheme as impairing the Federal Election Commission’s ability to administer laws concerning source and amount restrictions in federal elections.
According to an article published in the New York Times, in a September filing, prosecutors sought to prevent Lou’s lawyers from arguing that he had been the victim of selective prosecution because of his support for Trump.
“There is absolutely no evidence that the defendant was selectively prosecuted,” the prosecutors wrote. They added that Lou should not be able to argue that he was being prosecuted “simply because of his support for” Trump.
Lou did not testify in his own defense. He is due to be sentenced Feb. 24, 2026, and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Trump’s campaign, which prosecutors say was misled by Lou, was not accused of wrongdoing.
Attorneys for Lou could not be immediately reached for comment.
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