Special Counsel Investigating Possible Money Laundering by Paul Manafort

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.

Mr. Mueller’s investigation is focusing on Russian meddling as well as whether any members of the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow. Mr. Trump has denied any collusion and described investigations into the issue a “witch hunt.” Russia has denied meddling.

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.

Mr. Manafort, a Republican political consultant, spent years working for a pro-Russia party in Ukraine. He served as Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign manager for roughly three months in 2016 before resigning.

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.

Mr. Manafort has spent and borrowed tens of millions of dollars in connection with properties in the U.S. over the past decade, including a Brooklyn, N.Y., townhouse and California properties being developed by his son-in-law, the Journal has reported.

Through his spokesman, Mr. Manafort has said his “personal investments in real estate are all ordinary business transactions.”

In April, before Mr. Mueller’s appointment as special counsel, the Justice Department requested Mr. Manafort’s banking records as part of the Russia probe that is now being led by Mr. Mueller, the Journal reported.

And earlier this month, the Journal reported that the Manhattan district attorney’s office had subpoenaed records relating to up to $16 million in loans that a bank run by Steve Calk, a former campaign economic adviser to Mr. Trump, made to Mr. Manafort.

Source: Special Counsel Investigating Possible Money Laundering by Paul Manafort – WSJ