Manafort ‘took trips to Moscow and contacted Putin allies’

Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, made at least 18 trips to Moscow and over 100 visits to Ukraine where he met with associates connected with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it was reported on Thursday.

Manafort worked as a political consultant for pro-Russia political parties in Ukraine and maintained lucrative business relationships with oligarchs tied to the Kremlin, The Miami Herald reported on Thursday.

The frequency and scope of the trips between the years 2005 and 2014 had not previously been known.

The trips suggest that Manafort’s relationship with Moscow are deeper than once thought.

Paul Manafort (seen above in Washington, DC, on November 6), President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, made at least 18 trips to Moscow and over 100 visits to Ukraine where he met with associates connected with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it was reported on Thursday

Manafort is a subject of the investigation into alleged meddling by the Russian government in the 2016 US presidential election.

He joined Trump’s campaign in March 2016 – nearly two years after a top client, Viktor Yanukovych, was removed from office as president of Ukraine.

After Yanukovych fell, Manafort made 19 trips to Kiev over the course of 20 months during which he advised the pro-Russian Opposition Bloc party.

One of Manafort’s contacts in the party, Viktor Medvedchuk, is an oligarch who was once a Russian intelligence agent.

Manafort is a subject of the investigation into alleged meddling by the Russian government in the 2016 US presidential election. He joined Trump¿s campaign in March 2016 ¿ nearly two years after a top client, Viktor Yanukovych (above), was removed from office as president of Ukraine

Manafort is a subject of the investigation into alleged meddling by the Russian government in the 2016 US presidential election. He joined Trump’s campaign in March 2016 – nearly two years after a top client, Viktor Yanukovych (above), was removed from office as president of Ukraine

US investigators who have looked into Manafort’s activities in Russia and Ukraine want to know whether Trump’s former campaign manager was being unwittingly used by Moscow to act on its behalf.

Earlier this month, Manafort and associate Richard Gates pleaded not guilty to a 12-count indictment by a federal grand jury.

The charges include conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy against the United States and failing to register as foreign agents of Ukraine’s former pro-Russian government.

They are part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian efforts to tilt the 2016 election in Trump’s favor and potential collusion by Trump associates.

Mueller is combing through information obtained regarding ‘talks between Russians about using Manafort as part of their broad influence operations during the elections,’ a source familiar with the matter told McClatchy.

It was reported earlier this month that Manafort offered to post more than $12million in real estate and life insurance assets and to limit his travel in a bid to avoid continued house arrest. 

US investigators who have looked into Manafort¿s activities in Russia and Ukraine want to know whether Trump¿s former campaign manager was being unwittingly used by Moscow to act on its behalf. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen above in Sochi on Thursday

US investigators who have looked into Manafort’s activities in Russia and Ukraine want to know whether Trump’s former campaign manager was being unwittingly used by Moscow to act on its behalf. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen above in Sochi on Thursday

According to court documents, Manafort offered to limit his travel to New York, Washington and Florida and pledged life insurance worth about $4.5million as well as about $8million in real estate assets, including a property on Fifth Avenue in New York that was identified as an apartment in Trump Tower.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said that initial bail terms would remain in place and set a bail hearing to consider changes. She suggested a potential May 7 trial date.

Manafort and Gates are under house arrest, under unsecured bonds of $10 million and $5 million, respectively, which means they do not have to post the bail unless they fail to show up for court or violate other conditions.   

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk