Mueller probe nets Trump ex-advisers
washington — Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election revealed its first targets on Monday, with a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump admitting he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russians.
Separately, Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and former Manafort business associate Rick Gates were indicted on felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.
The guilty plea by the former adviser, George Papadopoulos, marked the first criminal count that cites interactions between Trump campaign associates and Russian intermediaries during the campaign.
The charges ushered Mueller’s sprawling investigation into a new phase with felony charges and possible prison sentences for key members of the Trump campaign.
Trump quickly tweeted that the alleged misdeeds by his former campaign chairman were “years ago”, and he insisted there was “NO COLLUSION” between his campaign and Russia.
He added, as he has a number of times recently, “Why aren’t Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus ????? ”
Papadopoulos’ plea occurred on October 5 and was unsealed on Monday. In court papers, he admitted lying about the nature of his interactions with “foreign nationals” who he thought had close connections to senior Russian government officials. —
washington — Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was charged on Monday with conspiracy against the United States and money laundering, in the first indictment stemming from a sprawling probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Manafort, 68, and business partner Rick Gates, 45, were charged with allegedly hiding millions of dollars they earned working for former Ukrainian politician Viktor Yanukovych and his pro-Moscow political party.
Special counsel Robert Mueller announced the charges against the two, the first against any close former Trump aides arising from a federal probe into possible collusion in Russia’s effort to tilt the US presidential election in Trump’s favour.
“Manafort and Gates generated tens of millions of dollars in income as a result of their Ukraine work,” the indictment states.
“In order to hide Ukraine payments from United States authorities, from approximately 2006 to at least 2016, Manafort and Gates laundered the money through scores of United States and foreign corporations, partnerships and bank accounts,” it added.
In all, Manafort and Gates were hit with 12 charges of conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, failing to register as a foreign agent, making false statements and failure to report offshore bank accounts.
Manafort and an unidentified man were caught by television cameras walking into the FBI’s Washington field office around 8:15am to surrender.
On Sunday, Trump took to Twitter as speculation mounted charges were about to drop, calling the investigation a “witch hunt” and repeating denials that his White House campaign colluded with Russia.
Manafort was among the participants of a June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Kremlinlinked lawyer that raised suspicions of collusion between the campaign and Moscow. The meeting was arranged by Trump’s eldest son, Donald
sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. but why aren’t crooked Hillary & the dems the focus ????? .... also, there is NO cOLLusION!
Donald J. Trump @@realDonaldTrump
Jr, in hopes of receiving damaging information on Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate.
The indictment made no mention of Russian involvement in the US campaign, however, focusing instead on Manafort’s earlier Ukraianian ties. A long-time political operative and consultant, Manafort was recruited in March 2016 to round up pro-Trump delegates to the Republican Party convention.
Then in June Trump named him campaign chairman, replacing fired Corey Lewandowski.
But in August he resigned as Ukraine corruption investigators released files showing large payments to Manafort companies and it became clear he was under investigation in the United States in relation to that.
Federal law enforcement officials were reportedly aware of wire transfers linked to Manafort as far back as 2012, when they began investigating whether he committed tax fraud or helped the Ukrainian regime — at the time close to Russian leader Vladimir Putin — launder money. With the Mueller investigation entering a dramatic new phase, Republican officials and conservative media have stepped up attacks on Democrats — especially Clinton — though opponents are dismissing the accusations as blatant attempts to divert attention.
Meanwhile, George Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents, the federal special counsel said on Monday, becoming the third adviser to President Donald Trump’s campaign to face criminal charges in its investigation.
Papadopolous is an international energy lawyer who was on Trump’s advisory team during the 2016 presidential campaign. The Chicago man pleaded guilty on Oct. 5 in a case unsealed on Monday, the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller said in a statement. — AFP, Reuters