Yahoo News explains: What are the charges against Paul Manafort?
Tuesday, July 31, marks Day 1 of the trial of Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman. It’s the first trial related to charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller in the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Manafort faces 18 criminal counts, half of which carry a maximum sentence of 30 years.
Let’s break them down:
Five counts: False tax returns
Manafort is charged with helping to produce and approve false tax returns from 2010 through 2014 — one count for each year. Prosecutors say he falsely indicated he didn’t have bank accounts in foreign countries and underreported his earnings to limit his taxable income.
Four counts: Failed to report foreign bank accounts
U.S. citizens are typically required to submit a Foreign Bank Account Report if the accumulated value of their foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 during a 12-month period. Prosecutors say Manafort didn’t submit the reports from 2011 through 2014, even though he funneled millions through overseas accounts. He’s charged with one count for each year.
Three counts: Citizens Bank loans
Manafort is charged with bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy for a Manhattan condo loan of $3.4 million, allegedly falsely saying it wasn’t a rental property to maximize the amount he borrowed. He’s also charged with bank fraud conspiracy for attempting to get a separate $5.5 million loan for a brownstone in Brooklyn, prosecutors say.
Two counts: Banc of California loan
Manafort is charged with bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy for allegedly submitting false and misleading information to try to secure a $1 million business loan from Banc of California.
Four counts: Federal Savings Bank loans
Prosecutors charged Manafort and his then-associate Rick Gates with two counts of bank fraud and two counts of bank fraud conspiracy for allegedly providing misleading information to secure two loans worth $16 million.
Manafort has pleaded not guilty to all 18 counts. He faces a second trial in September on conspiracy charges.
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