Mueller targets Manafort
“It’s Mueller Time!”
Yesterday, we explained how Russia controls Paul Manafort. And so it begins…
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible money laundering by Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, as part of his criminal investigation into what U.S. intelligence agencies say was a Kremlin-backed campaign to meddle in the 2016 presidential election, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The inquiry into the issue by Mr. Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and his team began several weeks ago, this person said. A spokesman for Mr. Manafort, Jason Maloni, declined to comment, as did a spokesman for Mr. Mueller.
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The Senate and House intelligence committees also are probing possible money laundering by Mr. Manafort, according to people with knowledge of those investigations.
The Senate committee also has received reports from the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which tracks illicit money flows, to learn if any of Mr. Trump’s businesses may have financial ties to Russian interests, these people said. Mr. Trump has said he has no such ties.
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New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. also are investigating Mr. Manafort’s real-estate transactions, The Wall Street Journal has reported, with both offices examining his dealings for possible money-laundering and fraud. Messrs. Schneiderman and Vance are Democrats.
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