US attorney moves to drop tax case against Fatburger founder

A high-profile federal tax evasion case against Fatburger founder Andrew Wiederhorn may be coming to an abrupt end after prosecutors filed papers Tuesday to dismiss the charges.

The surprise move follows the dismissal of Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam P. Schleifer, who was removed from the case in late March, shortly after far-right activist Laura Loomer launched a social media campaign attacking him for past anti-Trump posts.

Court records filed Tuesday show the U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of California has formally moved to dismiss the case against Wiederhorn without prejudice. A judge has not yet ruled on the request, but the filing signals that the government is walking away from one of the most closely watched white-collar prosecutions in Los Angeles.

The case accused the former Fat Brands Inc. CEO of concealing millions in income to evade federal taxes. Wiederhorn, a prominent GOP donor who has given roughly $40,000 to Republican causes since 2023, faced trial later this year. U.S. v. Wiederhorn, 24-cr-00296 (C.D. Cal., filed May 9, 2024).

The sudden push to dismiss the case is likely to intensify scrutiny of political influence in federal prosecutions under the Trump administration. Loomer, who has championed purges of what she calls "anti-Trump holdovers," claimed credit on social media for Schleifer's ouster.