Mueller files new charges against Manafort and Gates News
Mueller files new charges against Manafort and Gates

Special Counsel Robert Mueller [official website] filed a new indictment [text, PDF] leveling 32 new charges against Paul Manafort and Richard Gates in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia [official website] Thursday.

The charges include 23 charges related to falsifying tax returns and not reporting foreign assets. The charges also include nine charges of bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy related to loans that were obtained through false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.

Manafort is charged with laundering and concealing $30 million that was obtained from offshore accounts, while Gates is charged with receiving and concealing $3 million from offshore accounts. Both are charged with using these funds for personal expenses, including antique rugs, clothing, and mortgages. The fraudulent loans totaled $25.9 million.

If convicted of the bank fraud charges, Manafort and Gates would have to forfeit any property obtained from the loans. If the property can not be subject to forfeiture, then substitute assets will be subject to forfeiture.

Manafort, who was President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, and Gates, a longtime business associate of Manafort, were originally charged [JURIST report] with conspiracy to launder money, making false statements, conspiracy against the US and other charges by Mueller’s special counsel in October. Manafort filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] in January against the Department of Justice (DOJ) claiming that Mueller’s investigation exceeded DOJ’s legal authority.