Hillary Clinton. Photo: Gage Skimdore via Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – A Nigerian billionaire and major donor to the Clinton Foundation was denied entry to the US last year, due to suspected ties to the Lebanon-based terrorist organization Hezbollah, the Los Angeles Times reported.

According to the report, Gilbert Chagoury, 70, has been friendly with the Clintons since the 1990s and has donated between $1 million and $5 million to the couple’s foundation.

Chagoury is also a close ally of former Nigerian dictator General Sani Abacha’s, and has tried to influence US policy in Abacha’s favor. The State Department has been investigating the billionaire, who has Lebanese roots, for his ties to Lebanon. He is currently on a no-fly list, in part because of his connection to Lebanese Christian politician and former Lebanese Army commander Michel Aoun, whose political party signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah in 2006.

A 2013 FBI intelligence report indicated that Chagoury provided funds to Aoun, which he transferred to Hezbollah. When Chagoury applied for a tourist visa to the US in the summer of 2015, the State Department denied his request, on grounds related to terrorism-funding. Chagoury denies any link to Hezbollah.