Paul Manafort has gone to great lengths to lie and obscure the truth about his activities during his time as Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager, as well as about what he’s been up to since he resigned from the Trump campaign after reports emerged that he’d received millions in cash payments from "Russia-aligned leaders in Ukraine."
Currently awaiting sentencing in federal prison after convictions on five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account, Manafort is a central figure in the special counsel investigation. Mueller appears to be especially interested in his contacts with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian political operative who is reportedly connected to Russian Intelligence.
Paul Manafort has steadfastly misled the special counsel’s investigators, an indication he is still protecting someone other than himself. Is he banking on an eventual Donald Trump pardon? If he is, prosecutors in New York reportedly have charges waiting in the wings—and state charges are not eligible for pardon by a president. From Bloomberg:
New York state prosecutors have put together a criminal case against Paul Manafort that they could file quickly if the former chairman of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign receives a presidential pardon.
New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is ready to file an array of tax and other charges against Manafort, according to two people familiar with the matter, something seen as an insurance policy should the president exercise his power to free the former aide. Skirting laws that protect defendants from being charged twice for the same offense has been one of Vance’s challenges.
On Feb. 13, 2019, a federal judge ruled Paul Manafort was still lying to investigators in violation of his cooperation agreement.
For what it’s worth, it’s always great to revisit this July 2016 interview, in which Donald Trump’s then-campaign manager had such a difficult time answering whether or not Donald Trump had financial ties with Russian oligarchs.
Thoughts and prayers, buddy.