U.S. associate of indicted Russian pleads guilty, to cooperate with Mueller

By Nathan Layne and David Alexander

 

(Reuters) - An American who is the business partner of a Russian national accused by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller of having ties to Russian intelligence pleaded guilty on Friday to unregistered lobbying for a pro-Kremlin political party in Ukraine and agreed to cooperate with Mueller's probe.

 

Samuel Patten, 47, also admitted to arranging for a U.S. citizen to act as a straw purchaser to pay $50,000 for four tickets to the inauguration of President Donald Trump on behalf of a Ukrainian oligarch, who reimbursed Patten through a Cypriot account.

 

The move circumvented U.S. law prohibiting foreigners from providing money to an organisation running the inauguration. The tickets were given to the oligarch, another Ukrainian, Patten and the Russian national, according to the charging documents.

 

While the documents did not name the Russian national, the description matches Konstantin Kilimnik, Patten's business partner, who was indicted along with former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in June for witness tampering in an ongoing criminal case in Washington.

 

Mueller has said Kilimnik, who once served in the Russian army as a translator, has links to Russian spy agencies. Kilimnik, who in the past has denied such ties, did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

 

Patten's plea agreement, which includes cooperating with Mueller, raises the prospect Patten will be called to testify against Manafort, who was found guilty by a Virginia jury last week on bank and tax fraud charges and faces a second trial in Washington next month.

 

The charge Patten pleaded guilty to - violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by not disclosing lobbying work for Ukrainian politicians - is similar to one of the core allegations against Manafort in his upcoming trial.

 

Michael Zeldin, a former federal prosecutor, predicted Patten will be a witness in the trial. "I expect his value as a cooperating witness is he will know how those guys conducted their business relations and can probably shed light on efforts made to evade FARA reporting requirements," he said.

 

Patten admitted to working with the Russian national to lobby members of Congress and the executive branch on behalf of the pro-Russian Opposition Bloc without disclosing the work to the U.S. government, as required by law.

 

The charge, which carries a maximum of five years in prison, was brought by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department's National Security Division, which started investigating Patten after a referral from Mueller.

 

Patten appeared before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who will oversee Manafort's upcoming trial. Patten did not speak to reporters at the court, but apologised to family and friends on Facebook after entering his plea.

 

"I was wrong not to have filed under FARA for the representational aspects of my work on behalf of the Opposition Bloc in Ukraine," Patten wrote in a post seen by Reuters, adding that he had sought to promote democracy during a political consulting career that included work in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

"That is why I deeply regret any damage my failure to register has done to the transparency the FARA statute seeks to guarantee."

 

Patten's work in Ukraine dovetailed somewhat with that of Manafort. Manafort made most of his money working for former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych before he fled to Russia in 2014, but like Patten also sought to drum up business with the Opposition Bloc in the aftermath of Yanukovych's exit, it was revealed at Manafort's trial.

 

Patten's ties to Kilimnik are more concrete. The two set up the political advisory firm Begemot Ventures Ltd LLC in February 2015.

Since 2015, the company was paid more than $1 million for their work for Opposition Bloc members and for other work in Ukraine.

The unidentified oligarch was one of their biggest benefactors, the charging documents said.

 

Patten helped Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko get re-elected in 2015, according to an archived page from Patten's website.

 

Patten also did work for the parent company of Cambridge Analytica, the now-defunct political data firm that was embroiled in a controversy over its use of Facebook Inc data, according to interview transcripts submitted by academic Emma Briant and published by British lawmakers earlier this year.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-01

Meanwhile Rudy came out saying "this has nothing whatsoever to do with the president".  The presidential inauguration has nothing to do with the president?

 

This has got to be the most successful witch hunt ever.  Let's keep it going.

The bigger issue here is Mueller has now confirmed criminality within the Trump inorgoration, very specifically criminality including Russian agents.

 

This now opens the whole of the inauguration, its funding and what happened to the surplus funds to criminal investigation.

 

Illiberals Get your denial glasses on, the truth will (despite Trump’s best efforts) out!

Presidential pardons are going to be strewn around like confetti by serial liar and renowned draft dodger dirty don

Give me an fing break. Getting tickets to inaguration is not one of President-elect Donald T. Trump's duties.

8 minutes ago, oldrunner said:

Give me an fing break. Getting tickets to inaguration is not one of President-elect Donald T. Trump's duties.

What's the T. stand for? ?

2 hours ago, Expatthailover said:

Presidential pardons are going to be strewn around like confetti by serial liar and renowned draft dodger dirty don

This one's gone to the Washington DC U.S. attorney. Presidential pardons are not applicable, I believe.

4 hours ago, attrayant said:

Meanwhile Rudy came out saying "this has nothing whatsoever to do with the president".  The presidential inauguration has nothing to do with the president?

 

This has got to be the most successful witch hunt ever.  Let's keep it going.

You mean the biggest inauguration in the history of the world/universe?

17 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What's the T. stand for? ?

T is for tiny I think?

The poorly attended inauguration is now being scrutinized, and guilt, lies, cheating, and obfuscation are even being found there. No matter where they look, they seem to find guilt and lies. Tiny Don is going down in flames. He will either be impeached, or resign in utter disgrace, and then watch what is left of his criminal business empire crumble like an old, soggy cake, that has seen too many storms. His name will forever be radioactive, and his once proud empire will be reduced to rubble. All good. Simply getting what he has worked so hard to earn. Humble pie all over the face of the Mango Mussolini. 

29 minutes ago, Redline said:

T is for tiny I think?

Keep 'em comin'

The real one 'John' hits the G spot too ...

 

They are getting closer Donald much closer that’s why you keep spinning Fairytales and lies your reckoning will be here soon.now enough about this criminal I’m watching the funereal of a real American 

Sure are lots of broom sticks being bandied about  

There's a lot of wishful thinking among many of you.  Trying to tie this lack of FARA registration to Trump is a stretch.  Let's face a few facts that seem evident.  This guy Patten, as well as Manafort, and others are hustling money out of stupid Russian & Ukrainian oligarchs whether it is helping with political advise in winning Ukrainian elections or trying to buy influence in American politics. These guys seem to be able to hustle millions out of these guys with the hope they will be able to influence people in congress and others in the government. What I don't understand is why Patten and Manafort failed to register.  Shit, I would just register for every country where there was any hope to capture business. What's really sad is that the lobbyists whether domestic or foreign can even get in the door of a Congressman or Senator. All goes to show the nature of campaign financing is the root of all evil with politicians. 

Uhhh I think patten was assisting with money laundering and peddling influence now back to mourning a real American 

8 hours ago, Trouble said:

What I don't understand is why Patten and Manafort failed to register.

 

Because historically, these laws have rarely been enforced.

 

Foreign lobbying laws are toothless:

 

"The real news in the indictment of Paul Manafort on charges of laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent is that someone has actually been prosecuted under a foreign lobbying law that has existed for decades but has almost never been enforced. The indictment may or may not prove that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government, but it has already proved how flawed the foreign lobbying rules have always been and how easily they are flouted."

 

Foreign lobbyists have been staying mostly clean and not doing anything too slimy.  Enter Manafort who tells all those guys to hold his beer.  He sees how lax the enforcement has been and, with his already cemented Russian connections, thinks this gives him a golden opportunity.

 

Do you think Cohen would have ever been prosecuted for his multi-million dollar bank fraud had his former boss not become the president?  More white collar criminals are out there and more are thinking they can get away with it.

 

The Mueller investigation is showing how badly we’ve failed to prosecute white-collar crime

 

"Ten years ago, it seemed remarkable that America had gotten so soft on corporate crime that nobody was prosecuted for the banking malfeasance that crashed the world economy in 2008. Today we have a White House awash in scandal and criminal associations. We can only hope that if Trump’s rule comes to an end, we won’t get complacent about the dirt that Mueller has only begun to scratch."

 

 

Quote

I would just register for every country where there was any hope to capture business.

 

Yeah, so there must be some down-side you're not seeing.  Registering keeps you in the spotlight and makes it less likely that shady characters will be willing to deal with you.  But you've already shown you're likely to be tempted by using the phrase "any hope to capture business".  Too many foreign lobbyists see this potential for personal gain and the ease with which the FARA statutes can be skirted.

 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, attrayant said:

 

Because historically, these laws have rarely been enforced.

 

Foreign lobbying laws are toothless:

 

<snipped>

Foreign lobbyists have been staying mostly clean and not doing anything too slimy.  Enter Manafort who tells all those guys to hold his beer.  He sees how lax the enforcement has been and, with his already cemented Russian connections, thinks this gives him a golden opportunity.

 

Do you think Cohen would have ever been prosecuted for his multi-million dollar bank fraud had his former boss not become the president?  More white collar criminals are out there and more are thinking they can get away with it.

 

The Mueller investigation is showing how badly we’ve failed to prosecute white-collar crime

<snipped>

 

Yeah, so there must be some down-side you're not seeing.  Registering keeps you in the spotlight and makes it less likely that shady characters will be willing to deal with you.  But you've already shown you're likely to be tempted by using the phrase "any hope to capture business".  Too many foreign lobbyists see this potential for personal gain and the ease with which the FARA statutes can be skirted.

 

These crimes are not necessarily easy to spot and generally someone has to complain.   I doubt there is any agency out there looking for them, but if they come across someone's radar, like the FBI or CIA, then the law kicks in.

 

It's a lot like some of the finance-related crimes.   Somebody has to complain.   Nobody complained when Bernie Madoff was paying out huge dividends.   When the ponzi scheme collapsed, complaints flourished.   Same when the stock market is climbing, no one complains, when it collapses, then all kinds of people come under scrutiny.   

 

 

17 hours ago, Jingthing said:

What's the T. stand for? ?

Maybe Treason. Maybe Traitor. Or perhaps Ting Tong, yeah Donald Ting Tong Trump.

12 hours ago, Tug said:

They are getting closer Donald much closer that’s why you keep spinning Fairytales and lies your reckoning will be here soon.now enough about this criminal I’m watching the funereal of a real American 

So Tug, you've seen all the shots taken at little Don by speakers and eulogizers! I even thought I saw the coffin rumble and shake a few times. Probably McCain having the last laugh on Trump.

 

All in all, it was a great tribute to a true American hero. Nice to see that Washington still has some badly needed class.

18 hours ago, oldrunner said:

Give me an fing break. Getting tickets to inaguration is not one of President-elect Donald T. Trump's duties.

No, but at very least Patten is an associate of a Trump associate and Patten committed a crime--" Patten pleaded guilty to - violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by not disclosing lobbying work for Ukrainian politicians"--; like so many other Trump associates who have either pled guilty or been indicted for crimes associated with the Mueller investigation.  Add to that the fact that Russia did interfere with the 2016 election and spread anti-Democratic information--even Trump finally admitted it in between denials, waffling, and kissing Putin. Gee, I wonder to whose benefit that Russian interference may have been?

3 hours ago, attrayant said:

"Ten years ago, it seemed remarkable that America had gotten so soft on corporate crime that nobody was prosecuted for the banking malfeasance that crashed the world economy in 2008. Today we have a White House awash in scandal and criminal associations. We can only hope that if Trump’s rule comes to an end, we won’t get complacent about the dirt that Mueller has only begun to scratch."

 Everything you need to know about corruption and pay to play is at 9th and 10th St , Washington DC.It's all there ,every dirty little scandal ! It's a big file in a secret Skiff ,open the door  look in the file under the category,  Sources and Methods! It goes back many many years

I used to live on 13th Street and have no idea what you're talking about.  I used to walk down Tenth Street every weekday on my way to work downtown.  Those two streets are entirely residential.

30 minutes ago, attrayant said:

I used to live on 13th Street and have no idea what you're talking about.  I used to walk down Tenth Street every weekday on my way to work downtown.  Those two streets are entirely residential.

 

https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/fbi-headquarters

9 and 10 must be the tour site . try this
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

1 hour ago, riclag said:

 Everything you need to know about corruption and pay to play is at 9th and 10th St , Washington DC.It's all there ,every dirty little scandal ! It's a big file in a secret Skiff ,open the door  look in the file under the category,  Sources and Methods! It goes back many many years

Thanks for the non-evidence.

8 minutes ago, riclag said:

 

 

 

Deleted duplicate post

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

Thanks for the non-evidence.

What are you talking about .Are you trolling me again

6 minutes ago, riclag said:

https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/fbi-headquarters

 

I see, so I should just waltz into the FBI and go poking through their files?  I take it you've already done this and that's how you know all these secrets?

 

Just now, riclag said:

What are you talking about .Are you trolling me again

 

You're the one who just told us to walk into the FBI building and go rooting through their files.  Looks like you're the one who's trolling us.

2 minutes ago, attrayant said:

 

I see, so I should just waltz into the FBI and go poking through their files?  I take it you've already done this and that's how you know all these secrets?

Don't be naive.J Edger was known to keep many editions  

6 minutes ago, riclag said:

Don't be naive.J Edger was known to keep many editions  

I knew it. He never died. And Elvis is his P.A.

24 minutes ago, riclag said:

What are you talking about .Are you trolling me again

And if you actually want to see how corruption works and how the rich and powerful are protected look here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8HfGAx8coE

It's all right out in the open. No need to posit hidden files.

Here's a more entertaining version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ4EDwcfjt8