Paul Manafort’s former son-in-law has reportedly cut a plea deal mandating that he cooperate with the government in “other criminal probes,” though it’s not yet exactly clear which criminal probes. Reuters writes:
The guilty plea agreement, which is under seal and has not been previously reported, could add to the legal pressure on Manafort, who is facing two indictments brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his probe of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Jeffrey Yohai, a former business partner of Manafort, was divorced from Manafort’s daughter last August.
Yohai has not been specifically told how he will be called on to cooperate as part of his plea agreement, but the two people familiar with the matter say they consider it a possibility that he will be asked to assist with Mueller’s prosecution of Manafort.
Manafort, Donald Trump’s one-time campaign manager who has been indicted but is still fighting the charges, would be a major catch for Mueller, and anyone who was a business partner of Manafort’s has got to have some goods on him. Of course, another former partner of Manafort, Rick Gates, has already pleaded guilty to financial fraud and lying to investigators and is cooperating with the Mueller investigation, but Gates was more central to Manafort’s political work.
Here’s a clue as to where Yohai may have run afoul of the law, reported by the New York Times last year.
Federal investigators are examining financial transactions involving Paul Manafort and his son-in-law, who embarked on a series of real estate deals in recent years fueled by millions of dollars from Mr. Manafort, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The transactions involve the financing of apartments and luxury homes in New York and California using money from Mr. Manafort, as well as from other investors solicited by the son-in-law, Jeffrey Yohai, including the actor Dustin Hoffman and his son. F.B.I. agents have reviewed financial records related to Mr. Yohai, who has been accused in a lawsuit of defrauding investors, the sources said.