"Ric stole the money!": A 'cash-for-access to Trump' scandal links Venezuela, Turkey, Congo and Kennedy Center

An alleged ‘cash-for-influence’ scandal is unfolding in the US. It centres around Ric Grenell, a top adviser to President Donald Trump and his special envoy for missions, including in Venezuela. According to Axios, a White House inquiry ordered by Trump is examining an alleged multimillion-dollar donation to the Kennedy Center that never arrived. Grenell also headed the Kennedy Center at one point. The allegations are coming from a Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon, who is now married to another Trump aide, Alina Habba.

The text message that started it all

The claims revolve around a May 3, 2025, text message reviewed by Axios, which Grenell had allegedly sent to Mildon. It reads: "Once the money comes to the company here, I will arrange the donation to Kennedy Centre [sic], and you'll be joining the VIP events and get close with the administration, even with POTUS [President of the United States]."

The message also reportedly says Mildon should be the "'American face' down in V", meaning Venezuela.

At the time of this message, Grenell was handling Trump's diplomatic engagement with Nicolás Maduro's government in Venezuela. Grenell was also at the helm of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from February 2025 to March 2026, first as its interim executive director and later as its president. Mildon, the Turkish billionaire, had business interests in Venezuela, including a contract to run state-owned cement plants.

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The alleged money trail

Mildon alleges that Grenell directed him to wire $17.6 million in May 2025 to Texas Armament & Technology (TXAT), a Houston-based defence company, and the amount was to be split between a deal involving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a Kennedy Center donation of nearly $6 million.

Habba, the businessman's wife since September this year, told Trump the money came from Mildon's own account, while a White House official said it actually came from the DRC's Ministry of Finance in Kinshasa, which is making the scandal all the more curious.

The Kennedy Center never received the donation

The main allegation is that the money never reached Kennedy Center, with its records showing only an outstanding $270,000 pledge from Mildon, which he has since paid. Staff found no record of a larger contribution, Axios reported.

Habba is a former Trump attorney who had also served as acting US attorney for New Jersey. She is a current Trump adviser. Earlier this month, Habba reportedly told Trump at the Oval Office that "Ric stole the money!"

Trump then directed White House Counsel Will Scharf to investigate the matter. That's when Mildon's attorneys gave the counsel's office the alleged text, a related email, and a record of the wire transfer.

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Grenell strongly denies the claims

Grenell has called the allegations "absurd" and "lies". He denies sending the text, soliciting money under false pretences, or receiving any payment from Mildon. The British spelling "Centre" shows he did not write the message, according to a source close to Grenell, cited in the Axios report.

The text's authenticity has not been publicly established, and the White House is examining the documents.

A murky scandal amid a MAGA feud

While no wrongdoing has been found as of now, the scandal raises key questions, ahead of the US Midterms. What was the purpose of the transaction? Where did the funds come from, and where did the money go? Are Mildon's businesses in Congo or Venezuela linked to Grenell?

This is also an instance of the bitter feud between Grenell and Habba, whose ties to Trump go back to his first administration. One insider called it a "MAGA blood feud", the report said.

The allegations also raise questions about political fundraising, pay-for-play access to Trump and officials, as well as conflicts of interest.