A federal grand jury has indicted a former campaign manager for President Trump and an associate on 12 counts including conspiracy against the United States and money laundering.
The charges are among the first to emerge from the Justice Department’s investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Special counsel Robert Mueller is leading the investigation.
Paul Manafort, 68, and Rick Gates, 45, were charged on Friday in the District of Columbia.
In a statement released Monday by Special Counsel Mueller:“The indictment contains 12 counts: conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading FARA statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts.”
FARA stands for Foreign Agents of Registration Act.
According to the indictment, Manafort and Gates concealed their work and revenue as agents of Ukrainian political parties.
The indictment said Manafort and Gates generated millions of dollars of income from work for Ukrainian political parties and leaders and laundered money through U.S. and foreign entities to conceal payments between 2006 and 2016.
Manafort worked for the Trump campaign from June to August of 2016 before resigning.
Gates, a business partner of Manafort, held many of the same Russian and Ukrainian ties. Gates served as a deputy to Manafort on the Trump campaign.
About the Author:
Laura Lacey Johnson is a blogger and speaker who writes regularly for ChristianHeadlines.com. Subscribe to her updates at www.lauralaceyjohnson.comor follow her on Twitter @thelaurajohnson.
Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/BCFC
Publication date: October 30, 2017
Comments are closed.