Manafort deputy tells court of tax evasion plot

DONALD TRUMP’S former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, had 15 undisclosed foreign accounts and spent years hiding millions of dollars to evade tax, his former deputy has claimed.

In a tense day in court, the campaign strategist’s longtime deputy, Rick Gates, told jurors how the pair were paid by Ukrainian oligarchs for their work as political consultants in the country.

Mr Gates, the prosecution’s star witness, claimed he and Mr Manafort used offshore shell companies and Cyprus bank accounts to funnel the money, and failed to declare the income to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Mr Gates said that at the time he worked on Mr Trump’s campaign his salary was paid by savings and investments from Mr Manafort.

Prosecutors hope that by summoning Mr Gates they can give jurors first-hand evidence that Mr Manafort was in full control of his finances and an elaborate fraud. Mr Manafort’s defence team have sought to paint Mr Gates as an embezzler, liar and the instigator of any criminal conduct.

Mr Gates has pleaded guilty to fraud and agreed to co-operate in Robert Mueller’s investigation of Mr Manafort, who has denied all the charges against him.