'A Jacket for Every Treason': Internet Mocks Paul Manafort’s $15,000 Ostrich Coat
Paul Manafort‘s fashion faux pas — including a $15,000 ostrich leather jacket — were trotted out in court by prosecutors highlighting his extravagant lifestyle in an attempt to prove his guilt.
On Wednesday, prosecutors revealed in court that the former Trump campaign chairman, who’s on trial for bank and tax fraud, spent nearly $1 million from 2009 to 2014 on clothing at Alan Couture, a luxury menswear store in New York.
Manafort is accused of hiding more than $30 million in income in secret offshore bank accounts to avoid paying U.S. taxes. Prosecutors allege that Manafort paid for the costly clothing and other items through wire transfers from the offshore accounts. Manafort has denied any wrongdoing.
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Receipts from Alan Couture show that Manafort spent $15,000 on an ostrich leather jacket, $9,500 on an ostrich vest, and $18,500 on a python skin coat.
Now Manafort’s fashion choices are the subject of ridicule on Twitter. Here’s what critics are saying:
Behold. The $15,000 ostrich coat Manafort bought with an international wire transfer, according to a men’s clothier who testified today. Government exhibit pic.twitter.com/BjuQ39ZeJ0
— Kara Scannell (@KaraScannell) August 1, 2018
There's also a $9,500 ostrich vest from Alan Couture, from the invoices, but sadly no photo. Also an $18,500 python jacket, guessing it's this: pic.twitter.com/EsDZiUwBF7
— Rachel Weiner (@rachelweinerwp) August 2, 2018
Omg these Manafort jackets are hideous. He spent 15,000 bucks on this ugly azz coat pic.twitter.com/oebf1jYOl8
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) August 1, 2018
In a just world, an ostrich would be wearing a jacket made of Paul Manafort.
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) August 2, 2018
Yes but he had a jacket for every treason. https://t.co/aabr89JYxW
— Naveed Jamali (@NaveedAJamali) August 2, 2018
Gotta say, if you were to have told me that someone who worked for Trump had an ostrich jacket, my first guess would’ve been Cruella DeVos.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) August 2, 2018
Ugh. Worst thing about rain in DC... not being able to wear that sweet ostrich jacket
— Domenico Montanaro (@DomenicoNPR) August 2, 2018
Omg Paul Manafort spent $15,000 on this ostrich jacket and there is a 0% chance he ever had the guts to wear it pic.twitter.com/hng62iv6Oc
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) August 1, 2018
Paul Manafort serves as a reminder that money does not buy class or taste.
But money does buy ostrich and python leather and Clairol Nice ‘n Easy.— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) August 2, 2018
Though Manafort’s expensive attire made waves on social media, Judge T.S. Ellis was not moved.
In court on Tuesday and Wednesday, he sternly told the lawyers and the jury multiple times that Manafort is not on trial for living large. “The government is not going to prosecute people for wearing nice clothes,” Ellis said.