Former Trump campaign chairman Manafort convicted on eight of 18 charges

By Karen Freifeld, Nathan Layne and Ginger Gibson

 

FILE PHOTO: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort is shown in this booking photo in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S., July 12, 2018. Alexandria Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS/ File Photo

 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted on Tuesday of eight counts of financial wrongdoing, giving Special Counsel Robert Mueller a victory in the first trial arising from his investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election.

 

After almost four days of deliberations, a 12-member jury found Manafort guilty on two counts of bank fraud, five counts of tax fraud and one charge of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts.

 

The jury in U.S. federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, said it could not reach a verdict on 10 of the 18 counts with which Manafort was charged. Judge T.S. Ellis declared a mistrial on those counts.

 

While the charges against Manafort mostly predate his work on President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, legal analysts said the verdict was largely a victory for Mueller. Trump has repeatedly denounced the special counsel's investigation.

 

Trump, arriving in West Virginia for a rally on Tuesday night, tried to distance himself from Manafort's conviction, saying it did not involve him.

 

"Paul Manafort is a good man. ... It doesn't involve me, but I still feel - you know, it's a very sad thing that happened," Trump said. "This has nothing to do with Russian collusion. This started as Russian collusion; this has absolutely nothing to do - this is a witch hunt and it's a disgrace."

 

Manafort's conviction on the eight counts came in the same hour that Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty in New York to campaign finance violations and other charges.

 

Manafort, once a powerful Republican political operative, stood quietly while the verdict was being read by the clerk.

 

The two bank fraud charges on which he was convicted each carry a potential prison term of up to 30 years. But several sentencing experts predicted Manafort, 69, would receive a prison term of about 10 years.

 

Manafort's lawyer, Kevin Downing, told reporters afterward that his client was disappointed in the verdict and was evaluating his options.

 

Mueller's office declined comment on the verdict.

 

Mark Warner, the senior Democrat on the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that the Manafort verdict refuted Trump’s repeated charge that the Mueller investigation was a witch hunt.

 

He warned that any attempt by Trump to use his presidential powers to pardon Manafort or interfere in Mueller’s probe "would be a gross abuse of power and require immediate action by Congress."

 

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement that the Manafort and Cohen cases showed the "American legal system is working its will." He added that "there have yet to be any charges or convictions for colluding with the Russian government by any member of the Trump campaign in the 2016 election."

 

Graham issued what appeared to be a caution to Trump against meddling in Mueller's investigation, saying: "It’s important to let this process continue without interference."

 

Moscow has denied interfering in the 2016 election and Trump has said there was no collusion.

 

NO DATE SET FOR SENTENCING

Ellis gave the prosecution until Aug. 29 to decide whether to retry Manafort on the charges on which the jury deadlocked. As a result, the judge did not set a sentencing date for the other charges.

 

After the jury was dismissed, the judge told Manafort to stand at the podium and told him to help prepare the sentencing report. "The government and Mr. Manafort received very effective and zealous representation," the judge said.

 

Ellis asked jurors whether they would like to have their names remain secret and they said yes. He told them, however, that they could speak publicly about the case if they wanted.

 

Prosecutors accused Manafort of hiding from U.S. tax authorities $16 million (£12.4 million) he earned as a political consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine to fund an opulent lifestyle and then lying to banks to secure $20 million in loans after his Ukrainian income dried up and he needed cash.

 

    The verdicts completed a stunning fall for Manafort, a well-known figure in Republican politics for decades.

 

While Trump has sought to play down his connections to him, Manafort worked for five months on Trump's 2016 campaign during a pivotal period in the presidential race, including three months as chairman.

 

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld, Nathan Layne and Ginger Gibson in Alexandria, Va.; Additional reporting by Pete Schroeder and Katanga Johnson in Alexandria and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Writing by Warren Strobel and Alistair Bell; Editing by Bill Trott and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-08-22

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election.

 

Still nothing on this front. 

 

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

the charges against Manafort mostly predate his work on President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign

 

This will go largely overlooked on this forum. 

 

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

Manafort worked for five months on Trump's 2016 campaign

Yep, and everyone here will overlook this too. 

First blood to "Rambo" Muller.

1 minute ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

Still nothing on this front. 

Muller is saving this to give Trump a nice Christmas present.

31 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Still nothing on this front. 

 

 

This will go largely overlooked on this forum. 

 

Yep, and everyone here will overlook this too. 

Manafort has at least one more trial ahead of him and he’s right now calculating the pros (for him there are no cons) of cooperating with Mueller.

 

Don’t take your denial glasses off, the truth will (despite Trump’s best efforts) out!

32 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Muller is saving this to give Trump a nice Christmas present.

 

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Manafort has at least one more trial ahead of him and he’s right now calculating the pros (for him there are no cons) of cooperating with Mueller.

 

Here we have 2 experts that apparently know what both Muller and Manafort are both thinking and doing behind the scenes at this very moment ?

3 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

 

Here we have 2 experts that apparently know what both Muller and Manafort are both thinking and doing behind the scenes at this very moment ?

I’m more focussed on what Cohen is up to.

 

Singing like a canary!

 

Don’t take your denial glasses off, the truth will (despite Trump’s best efforts) out!

5 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

 

Here we have 2 experts that apparently know what both Muller and Manafort are both thinking and doing behind the scenes at this very moment ?

Doesn't take a brain surgeon, just someone without orange tinted glasses.

Edited August 22, 20187 yr by Spidey

3 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Doesn't take a brain surgeon, just someone without orange tinted glasses.

It just takes ‘Twelve good men and women’ and the evidence.

The trump Wingnuts ( a least one on the jury) would ensure mistrial ! This crook and spy of a Non President is going down sooner or later


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14 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Doesn't take a brain surgeon, just someone without orange tinted glasses.

Trump is for sure, 100% going down on this on this news. Right?

15 minutes ago, dcutman said:

Trump is for sure, 100% going down on this on this news. Right?

Plenty more to follow. Watch this space!

24 minutes ago, markaoffy said:

The trump Wingnuts ( a least one on the jury) would ensure mistrial !

 

It's a serious concern. Very difficult to find "12 good men and true" when 40% of the population wear orange tinted glasses and suffer from TDS.

 

Hopefully we will see a Democrat House before the end of the year and impeachment will have more chance of success.

 

The 25th Amendment would be my weapon of choice as it would be impossible for him to defend against the charge of "Unfit to govern due to mental illness".

Edited August 22, 20187 yr by Spidey

1 hour ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

Still nothing on this front. 

Be patient, what's the hurry?

1 hour ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

This will go largely overlooked on this forum. 

Why is this important? I think anyone with half a brain understands that the crimes Manafort committed, other than trying to sell a position in the trump administration to the bank manager, and offering to keep putin's gang updated on the trump campaign, pre-dated his tenure, and Gates's, with trump.

 

1 hour ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

Yep, and everyone here will overlook this too. 

This is common knowledge, and hardly relevant. "But your honor, I only murdered people for a few months." is rarely a defense, unless you're desperate.

 

trump's hole just keeps getting bigger, feels free to help him to keep digging.

 

 

Watch now as State charges come in and between them and the IRS Manafort is stripped of his wealth.

 

A foretaste of what Trump can look forward to.

Next week could be interesting as it is the last week before the proclaimed 60 day prior to an election "No-No" edict.   Mueller could release a rash of indictments some of which could involve his immediate family.  That would be a real "treat"!

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

Watch now as State charges come in and between them and the IRS Manafort is stripped of his wealth.

 

A foretaste of what Trump can look forward to.

Yes. Let's not forget that Trump has always refused to release his tax returns. Muller has had access to these. Dynamite.

 

Criminal investigation 101 - "always follow the money".

1 hour ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Still nothing on this front. 

 

 

This will go largely overlooked on this forum. 

 

Yep, and everyone here will overlook this too. 

But Trump hires the best people!!   So what if they're convicted criminals.  Drain the swamp!

2 hours ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Manafort worked for five months on Trump's 2016 campaign

Yep, and everyone here will overlook this too

 

Anything about Russia?  I mean anything??? 

3 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

Anything about Russia?  I mean anything??? 

 

1 minute ago, BobBKK said:

Anything about Russia?  I mean anything??? 

Stop pretending you don’t know how this works.

2 hours ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

  2 hours ago, webfact said:

Manafort worked for five months on Trump's 2016 campaign

Yep, and everyone here will overlook this too. 

Yes because Manafort was in a position barely higher than that of an intern...

"He joined Donald Trump's presidential campaign team in March 2016, and was campaign chairman from June to August 2016. He was convicted of tax fraud and bank fraud in August 2018.^[1]"

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Manafort}

Edited August 22, 20187 yr by bristolboy

Anything about Russia?  I mean anything??? 

Yes, lots about him advising the pro-Russian Ukrainian ex-leader.

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41 minutes ago, wayned said:

Next week could be interesting as it is the last week before the proclaimed 60 day prior to an election "No-No" edict.   Mueller could release a rash of indictments some of which could involve his immediate family.  That would be a real "treat"!

Since Trump is not standing for election it is arguable that the 60 day rule does not apply. 

 

However, Mueller will not want to give excuse to Trump and his supporters of ‘political motivation’.

 

So yes, expect a flurry of arrests and charges before the 60 day cut-off, then back to ‘Mueller silence’ until after the mid terms.

 

My guess is Roger Stone will be arrested and a warrant issued for Assange, but of Mueller has a habit of blindsiding everyone’s guesses.

Troll posts removed along with replies.  

 

 

dig deep enough and long enough and IMO you will always uncover shady stuff on any high profile figure - none of them are squeaky clean, it was interesting to note that Mullers motive for this investigation (Russian meddling) came up empty  

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

it was interesting to note that Mullers motive for this investigation (Russian meddling) came up empty  

 

Mueller has no motive.

 

Mueller has yet to issue his report.

 

Please be patient.

 

 

18 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Huh.... 

 

 

Funny, that hasnt stopped any of you from crucifying & convicting trump in your minds yet. I mean its a field day on here with the crimes that Trump has committed (in the liberal mind) and the punishment of said made-up crimes. 

 

Thats called hypocrisy. 

 

PS: 

 

Gentle reminder, Clinton stuck a cigar in Lewinskys vagina in the oval office and then lied about it under oath. 

Gentle reminder, that was the outcome of the ‘Whitewater’ investigation.

 

So please no more complaints about hat Mueller turns up.

Manafort's 'crimes' have zero to do with Trump. 

But, the witch hunt is almost over.