Mueller alleges Manafort continued work related to Ukraine despite 2017 indictment
Special counsel Robert Mueller's office is alleging former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort continued work related to Ukraine after his 2017 indictment, according to a redacted transcript from Manafort's hearing with federal prosecutors on Monday.
The hearing focused on whether Manafort breached his plea agreement by lying to investigators, including about his meetings with Konstantin Kilimnik, who is suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence. Prosecutors allege Manafort was talking about a redacted issue related to Ukraine as late as 2018.
"This goes, I think, very much to the heart of what the Special Counsel's Office is investigating," prosecutor Andrew Weissman said, according to the transcript, about Manafort continuing to work with Kilimnik on Ukrainian issues.
Manafort's attorneys submitted a poorly redacted filing in January revealing Manafort shared polling data with Kilimnik during the campaign. In their response to Mueller claiming Manafort breached his plea deal, Manafort's attorneys inadvertently revealed the special counsel alleges Manafort "lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign."
Manafort and Rick Gates, his former business associate, were indicted by a federal grand jury in late 2017. He was found guilty on five counts of tax fraud, one count of failing to disclose his foreign bank accounts and two counts of bank fraud, in August.
Manafort reached a plea agreement with Mueller's office on Sept. 14 to avoid a second trial on additional charges in D.C. District Court. Under the deal, Manafort pledged "to cooperate fully, truthfully, completely, and forthrightly" with Mueller's probe and any other investigation.
