Summary: Paul Manafort is known as a key player in the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Late last month, Paul Manafort’s home was busted into by FBI agents. The Washington Post broke the story that agents had a search warrant that allowed them to seize documents and other evidence against Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman.
“The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III departed the home with various records,” the Post wrote. “The raid came as Manafort has been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. The search warrant indicates investigators may have argued to a federal judge they had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.”
Manafort worked on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, but he was fired after it was exposed that he had relationships with Ukrainian political figures with ties to Russia. According to Raw Story, Manfort is seen as a key player in the FBI’s investigation into whether or not Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election between Trump and rival Hillary Clinton.
A source close to Manafort told The Washington Post that special prosecutor Robert Mueller may be building a case against Manafort that has nothing to do with Russia but instead with his possibly shady business dealings. For instance, Manafort and his son-in-law Jeffrey Yohai were involved in a multi-million dollar real estate scheme that allegedly defrauded several, including actor Dustin Hoffman.
The source told The Post that the financial case may be used to flip Manafort into giving information up about other members in Trump’s inner circle.
Jason Maloni, a Manafort representative, told ABC News that the home was raided and that Manafort was cooperating with the investigation.
The FBI raid occurred on July 26th, the same day that the world was preoccupied with Trump’s tweet that transgenders were not allowed in the armed forces.
The FBI agents were looking for “tax documents and foreign banking records,” according to the New York Times.
The New York Post said that the raid was significant because “Mueller’s team apparently possessed enough information to convince a judge that a search of Manafort’s home would quite likely turn up evidence of criminal activity.” The Post added that the raid also gives insight into Mueller’s strategy.
Last month, The New York Times broke the story that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr., and Manafort met with a Russian lawyer in 2016 in order to gain information about Hillary Clinton. That meeting is still being investigated, although Donald Trump Jr. has already made a public statement that the main topic discussed was Russian adoption.
- FBI Investigating Paul Manafort
- Dustin Hoffman loses millions in real estate deal with Jeffrey Yohai
- Donald Trump Jr. Met with Russian Lawyer During 2016 Presidential Campaign