Imaad Zuberi
Imaad Zuberi (born 1970) is a Pakistani-American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, philanthropist and political fundraiser who became a convicted felon. He is a partner at Avenue Ventures and has written about foreign investments. One of his notable investments is the Al Areen Palace & Spa resort in Bahrain.
Zuberi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States with his parents when he was three. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California in 1997.
In business, Zuberi served as vice president of strategic development for Manhattan Street Capital and runs its FundAthena platform. He is also vice president of Avenue Ventures and previously worked in strategy and development at the AEGON Group.
In politics, he was a top fundraiser for Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election and was listed as a "Hillblazer" for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. In 2017 he donated $900,000 to Donald Trump’s inaugural committee. In 2019 prosecutors subpoenaed his communications as part of a broader investigation into fraud and money laundering.
Legal case: On October 22, 2019, Zuberi agreed to plead guilty to falsifying records of his work as a foreign agent, tax evasion, and making nearly $1 million in illegal campaign contributions. He admitted that he sought contributions from people in Bahrain and Sri Lanka but kept most of the money for himself. On February 18, 2021, a federal judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison, fined $1.75 million and ordered restitution of about $15.7 million. President Donald Trump commuted his sentence on May 28, 2025.
Philanthropy and influence: He has supported institutions such as the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Clinton Foundation and UCLA, and backed political efforts including Terry McAuliffe’s 2013 Virginia gubernatorial campaign and Organizing for Action. He has advised governments, including China and Sri Lanka, on economic policy.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:00 (CET).