Mueller details "bold" criminal actions by Paul Manafort in memo
Special counsel Robert Mueller details what he describes as "bold" criminal actions by former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in a lengthy new memo made public Saturday.
Mueller is not recommending a specific sentencing punishment for Manafort. The sentencing guideline range for Manafort is 210 months to 262 months, or 17 1/2 to nearly 22 years. This sentencing memo comes as Manafort is already facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison in a separate case.
"Manafort chose repeatedly and knowingly to violate the law — whether the laws proscribed garden-variety crimes such as tax fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and bank fraud, or more esoteric laws that he nevertheless was intimately familiar with, such as the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)," Mueller's memo reads. "His criminal actions were bold, some of which were committed while under a spotlight due to his work as the campaign chairman and, later, while he was on bail from this court."
The former Trump campaign chairman was originally to be tried in two different cases, one in Virginia and one in the District. He was tried in Virginia, but made a plea deal to avoid the second trial. In D.C., Manafort was charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S., failing to register as a foreign agent, money laundering, witness tampering and making false statements.
Like with other Americans close to the president who have been charged in the Mueller probe, Manafort has not been accused of being involved in Russian election interference. His case traces back to illegal lobbying for Ukrainian interests. Manafort, as a part of his plea deal, admitted to one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Manafort, who has been jailed for months and turns 70 in April, will have a chance to file his own sentencing recommendation next week.
Manafort is scheduled to be sentenced March 8 in Northern Virginia and March 13 in D.C.
Andres Triay contributed to this report.