Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has agreed to a plea deal in his second trial for fraud and money laundering and will plead guilty on Friday morning, according to the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
The Washington Post reports: “The planned plea, if accepted by a judge, would short-circuit his second trial scheduled to begin later this month in the District on charges of money laundering and lobbying violations. The details of Manafort’s plea were not immediately clear, including whether he would be providing any information to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III as part of any deal. People familiar with the plea discussions have previously said that Manafort has no intention of cooperating with Mueller, so it’s possible any prospective agreement could allow him to admit guilt without providing information to investigators.”
NBC News reports: “A charging document was filed Friday in the District of Columbia, which accuses Manafort, 69, of participating in a conspiracy against the United States — money laundering, tax fraud, failing to file Foreign Bank Account Reports, violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and lying and misrepresenting to the Department of Justice. He is also charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, involving witness tampering.”
The Hill adds: ‘Manafort has agreed to cooperate “fully and truthfully” with Mueller’s investigation, Judge Amy Berman Jackson said in court on Friday. He will submit to interviews with the special counsel and provide documents related to the probe, she said. He has also agreed to forfeit several properties and bank accounts, including his property at Trump Tower in New York….The sentencing guidelines indicate Manafort could face from 210 to 262 months in prison for the crimes. Prosecutors have agreed to depart downward from the guideline range based on the value of his cooperation.”
