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| Manafort associate pleads guilty to lobbying as a 'foreign agent' | Manafort associate pleads guilty to lobbying as a 'foreign agent' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A political consultant with ties to ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has pleaded guilty to failing to report his lobbying work for a foreign group. | A political consultant with ties to ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has pleaded guilty to failing to report his lobbying work for a foreign group. |
| Sam Patten, who is a US citizen, was accused of "wilfully" acting as a foreign agent in the US for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine. | Sam Patten, who is a US citizen, was accused of "wilfully" acting as a foreign agent in the US for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine. |
| Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the Russia probe, referred the case to Washington DC prosecutors. | Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the Russia probe, referred the case to Washington DC prosecutors. |
| Earlier this month, Manafort was found guilty of tax and financial crimes. | Earlier this month, Manafort was found guilty of tax and financial crimes. |
| The charges against Mr Patten, a 47-year-old Republican political consultant, were filed by US Attorney Jessie Liu in Washington DC. | The charges against Mr Patten, a 47-year-old Republican political consultant, were filed by US Attorney Jessie Liu in Washington DC. |
| The case was referred to Mr Liu by Mr Mueller, who is investigating Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election. | The case was referred to Mr Liu by Mr Mueller, who is investigating Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election. |
| Mr Patten pleaded guilty in federal court in Washington DC on Friday and pledged to co-operate with investigators, US media report. | |
| Prosecutors say he founded a lobbying firm with a Russian national in 2015 and worked on behalf of Ukraine's Opposition Bloc, a group for which Manafort also lobbied. | |
| Mr Patten worked for Manafort on Ukraine campaigns, as well as in countries such as Russia, Georgia, Iraq and Kazakhstan. | Mr Patten worked for Manafort on Ukraine campaigns, as well as in countries such as Russia, Georgia, Iraq and Kazakhstan. |
| He has also reportedly worked on micro-targeting operation for Cambridge Analytica, a UK-based data analytics firm that has drawn scrutiny for its involvement in the 2016 election and for harvesting Facebook users' personal information on behalf of political clients. | He has also reportedly worked on micro-targeting operation for Cambridge Analytica, a UK-based data analytics firm that has drawn scrutiny for its involvement in the 2016 election and for harvesting Facebook users' personal information on behalf of political clients. |
| He also led the Moscow office for the International Republican Institute, a pro-democracy organisation with ties to the US Republican party, in the early 2000's. | He also led the Moscow office for the International Republican Institute, a pro-democracy organisation with ties to the US Republican party, in the early 2000's. |
| Mr Patten also formed a company with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian citizen and Manafort aide who was charged in Mr Mueller's investigation earlier this year. | |
| No date has yet been set for Mr Patten sentencing hearing. |