Prosecutors painted the former Trump campaign chairman as an incorrigible cheat who must be made to understand the seriousness of his wrongdoing. Manafort contends he is mere collateral damage in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election. "I concluded that it was legitimate" for the special counsel to charge Manafort with financial crimes, Ellis said. "Unable to establish that Mr Manafort engaged in any such collusion, the special counsel charged him . US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson could add up to 10 years when Manafort is sentenced in Washington.

Source: Stuff March 08, 2019 00:04 UTC