Manafort Cyprus $$ tree
Luxe spend details
President Trump’s former campaign chair used banks in Cyprus to pay for millions of dollars in lavish spending on everything from custom clothing to luxury home improvements and silk rugs, according to evidence prosecutors presented at his trial Wednesday.
One witness testified that Paul Manafort spent more than $900,000 at Alan Couture in Manhattan, where his purchases included cream gabardine trousers and a cashmere-and-silk sports jacket that cost a combined $14,000.
Manafort rang up a total of $440,000 in goods during 2013 alone, said Maximillian Katzman, who managed the shop.
Manafort paid his bills with money wired from Cyprus banks, and was the only customer who settled up using such transfers, Katzman told jurors during Day 2 of Manafort’s taxand bank-fraud trial in Alexandria, Va.
Prosecutors allege Manafort used the overseas banks to stash millions he made working for pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine and avoid paying US taxes on the money.
Manafort also wired $334,325 from banks in Cyprus to the House of Bijan in Beverly Hills — known as the world’s most expensive men’s store — between 2010 and 2012, company accountant Ronald Hall testified.
FBI Agent Matthew Mikuska, who took part in a July 2017 raid of Manafort’s home in Alexandria, said records seized there show Manafort wired more than $500,000 from accounts in Cyprus to J&J Rugs in Alexandria, including $160,000 for two silk rugs.
Mikuska said he found a document titled “Gates Agenda, March 21, 2013,” which apparently refers to Manafort’s former right-hand man, Rick Gates, which included the first mention at trial of President Trump. “Yanks — tickets going to Trump next week,” the document said.
Gates pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to the FBI and agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller’s case. Gates is expected to serve as the star witness but, during Mikuska’s testimony, prosecutor Uzo Asonye caused a stir when he told Judge T.S. Ellis III that “he may testify, Your Honor. He may not.”
Asonye later clarified that prosecutors were leaving their options open, adding: “It’s not to suggest we’re not calling him.”