INDICTMENTS FOR PAUL MANAFORT AND RICK GATES

Paul Manafort and his former business associate were indicted today on money laundering, tax and foreign lobbying charges, a significant escalation in a special counsel investigation that has cast a shadow over President Trump’s first year in office.

Mr. Manafort, the president’s former campaign chairman, and his longtime associate Rick Gates were indicted for laundering more than $18 million to buy properties and services. Manafort used his hidden overseas wealth to enjoy a lavish lifestyle in the United States without paying taxes on that income. Mr. Gates is accused of transferring more than $3 million from offshore accounts. The two are also charged with making false statements. Manafort and Gates repeatedly provided false information to financial bookkeepers, tax accountants and legal counsel, among others.

Mr. Manafort, a veteran Republican strategist, joined the Trump campaign in March 2016 to help keep delegates from breaking with Mr. Trump in favor of establishment Republican candidates. Mr. Trump soon promoted him to chairman and chief strategist, a job that gave him control over day-to-day operations of the campaign. But Mr. Trump fired Mr. Manafort just months later, after reports that he received more than $12 million in undisclosed payments from Viktor F. Yanukovych, the former Ukrainian president and a pro-Russia politician. Mr. Manafort spent years as a political consultant for Mr. Yanukovych.

Statutory Allegations

1. Conspiracy against the United States

2.Conspiracy to launder money

3-thru 6. Failure to file reports of foreign banks and financial accounts for calendar years 2011-2014

7-thru 9. Failure to file reports of foreign banks and financial accounts for calendar year 2011-2013

10. Unregistered agent of a foreign principal

11. False and misleading FARA Statements

12. False Statements

Conspiracy Against the United States

From in or about and between 2006 and 2017

• Knowlingly and intentionally conspired to defraud the United States by impeding, impairing, obstructing and defeating the lawful governmental functions of a goverment agency, namely the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury
• Committed offences against the United States, violations of law charged in Count 3 thru 6 and 10 thru 12
• In furtherance of the conspiracy and to effect its illegal object, committed the overt acts in Count 11 and other acts herein provided.

Lpbbying Career

Paul John Manafort Jr. (born April 1, 1949 is an American lobbyist, political consultant and lawyer. In 1980 Manafort co-founded the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm Black, Manafort & Stone, along with principals Charles R. Black Jr., and Roger J. Stone joined by Peter G. Kelly in 1984. Manafort was previously an adviser to the U.S. presidential campaigns of Republicans Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bo Dole.

Manafort often lobbied on behalf of controversial foreign leaders such as former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, former dictator of the Phiippines Ferdinand Marcos, dictator of the former Democratic Republic of the Congo Mobutu Sese Seko, Angolan guerilla leader Jonas Savimbi. His firm also lobbied on behalf of the governments of the Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya Nigeria and the New York Times reported that Manafort accepted payments from the Kurdistan Regional Government to facilitate Western recognition of the 2017 Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum.

Lobbying to serve the interests of foreign governments requires registration with the Justice Department under the Foreign Registration Act (FARA); however, as of June 2, 2017, Manafort had not registered. On June 27 he retroactively registered as a foreign agent.