Former Pitcher Curt Schilling Part Of Steve Bannon's We Build The Wall Advisory Board

No stranger to controversy, former Major League Baseball pitcher Curt Schilling finds himself linked to the story that’s been dominating Thursday’s headlines.

Former President Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon was arrested on charges of defrauding donors in a border wall fundraising campaign. Schilling is an advisory board member.

Schilling, Sheriff David Alexander Clarke Jr., and Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach are among the prominent We Build The Wall board members.

Schilling wasn’t among the four people arrested for fraud, but his name began to trend on Twitter when it was discovered that he was linked to the group. Bannon is accused of using some of the money raised by the group for personal expenses. We Build The Wall President Brian Kolfage was charged with taking more than $350,000 in funds that donors had given for personal use.

“We Build The Wall” has said it’s been working toward the goal of building a privately owned wall along the Mexico border in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The campaign has raised more than $25 million.

An outspoken critic of illegal immigration, Schilling suggested last year he might run for Congress in Arizona. Schilling pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2000-2003. He helped lead the team to its only World Series championship in 2001.

In 2012, Rhode Island's economic development agency sued Schilling and some of its former officials, accusing them of fraud and other acts that misled the state into approving a $75 million loan guarantee to 38 Studios, the ex-ballplayer’s video game company. Six years after being founded in 2006, 38 Studios filed for bankruptcy.

Schilling and other executives from the company eventually agreed to pay a $2.5 million settlement to Rhode Island to resolve the legal battle.

In 2010, Schilling first appeared as an in-game analyst for ESPN. He was fired from the company in 2015 because of comments he made regarding an anti-LGBTQ law in North Carolina.

On Wednesday night, Schilling created a little more controversy by commenting on homophobic remarks made by Cincinnati Reds announcer Thom Brennaman during a game broadcast. Schilling didn’t defend what Brennaman said, but he predicted an “insane overreaction” to what he deemed a mistake by the broadcaster.