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| Paul Manafort Agrees to Cooperate With Special Counsel; Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charges | Paul Manafort Agrees to Cooperate With Special Counsel; Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charges |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, agreed on Friday to cooperate with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty to reduced charges stemming from consulting work he did for pro-Russia political forces in Ukraine. | WASHINGTON — Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, agreed on Friday to cooperate with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty to reduced charges stemming from consulting work he did for pro-Russia political forces in Ukraine. |
| Appearing in United States District Court in Washington, Mr. Manafort entered guilty pleas on two conspiracy charges. Andrew Weissmann, the lead prosecutor, told Judge Amy Berman Jackson that there was a cooperation agreement with Mr. Manafort but provided no details. | Appearing in United States District Court in Washington, Mr. Manafort entered guilty pleas on two conspiracy charges. Andrew Weissmann, the lead prosecutor, told Judge Amy Berman Jackson that there was a cooperation agreement with Mr. Manafort but provided no details. |
| It was not immediately clear what information Mr. Manafort might provide to prosecutors or how the plea agreement might affect Mr. Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and related questions about possible collusion by the Trump campaign and obstruction of justice by Mr. Trump. | It was not immediately clear what information Mr. Manafort might provide to prosecutors or how the plea agreement might affect Mr. Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and related questions about possible collusion by the Trump campaign and obstruction of justice by Mr. Trump. |
| The plea deal is another unsettling development for Mr. Trump. For months, Mr. Trump has praised Mr. Manafort for fighting the charges. In private discussions with his lawyers, Mr. Trump has raised the possibility of pardoning Mr. Manafort. | The plea deal is another unsettling development for Mr. Trump. For months, Mr. Trump has praised Mr. Manafort for fighting the charges. In private discussions with his lawyers, Mr. Trump has raised the possibility of pardoning Mr. Manafort. |
| The president’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, quickly sought to distance Mr. Trump from the plea deal. | The president’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, quickly sought to distance Mr. Trump from the plea deal. |
| “Once again an investigation has concluded with a plea having nothing to do with President Trump or the Trump campaign,” he said in a statement. “The reason: The president did nothing wrong and Paul Manafort will tell the truth.” | “Once again an investigation has concluded with a plea having nothing to do with President Trump or the Trump campaign,” he said in a statement. “The reason: The president did nothing wrong and Paul Manafort will tell the truth.” |
| Kevin Downing, one of Mr. Manafort’s lawyers, said it was a “tough day” for his client. | Kevin Downing, one of Mr. Manafort’s lawyers, said it was a “tough day” for his client. |
| “He has accepted responsibility and this is for conduct that dates back many years,” Mr. Downing said. “And everybody should remember that.” | “He has accepted responsibility and this is for conduct that dates back many years,” Mr. Downing said. “And everybody should remember that.” |
| Mr. Manafort held senior roles in the Trump campaign for five months in 2016, a period of intense interest to Mr. Mueller’s team. | Mr. Manafort held senior roles in the Trump campaign for five months in 2016, a period of intense interest to Mr. Mueller’s team. |
| Mr. Manafort’s work in Ukraine also put him in the middle of a network of lobbyists and influence brokers who are now under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York. They include Tony Podesta, a prominent Democratic lobbyist; Vin Weber, a former Republican member of Congress, and Gregory Craig, a former White House counsel in the Obama administration. | Mr. Manafort’s work in Ukraine also put him in the middle of a network of lobbyists and influence brokers who are now under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York. They include Tony Podesta, a prominent Democratic lobbyist; Vin Weber, a former Republican member of Congress, and Gregory Craig, a former White House counsel in the Obama administration. |
| As part of the deal, the government has the authority to seize four of Mr. Manafort’s homes in New York and Virginia as well as the money in a number of bank accounts, court documents filed by prosecutors said. | As part of the deal, the government has the authority to seize four of Mr. Manafort’s homes in New York and Virginia as well as the money in a number of bank accounts, court documents filed by prosecutors said. |
| In documents filed with the United States District Court in Washington, prosecutors from Mr. Mueller’s office charged Mr. Manafort with one count of conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Mr. Manafort pleaded guilty to those charges. | In documents filed with the United States District Court in Washington, prosecutors from Mr. Mueller’s office charged Mr. Manafort with one count of conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Mr. Manafort pleaded guilty to those charges. |
| [Read the court documents.] | |
| Mr. Manafort was not sentenced. For now he will remain in jail, where he has been since June, when prosecutors accused him of witness tampering. | Mr. Manafort was not sentenced. For now he will remain in jail, where he has been since June, when prosecutors accused him of witness tampering. |
| The prosecutors dropped five other charges encompassing money laundering and violations of a lobbying disclosure law. | The prosecutors dropped five other charges encompassing money laundering and violations of a lobbying disclosure law. |
| Mr. Manafort was convicted last month on bank and tax fraud charges after a trial in federal court in Alexandria, Va. He was scheduled to face a second trial on the seven separate but related charges in Washington starting next week. | Mr. Manafort was convicted last month on bank and tax fraud charges after a trial in federal court in Alexandria, Va. He was scheduled to face a second trial on the seven separate but related charges in Washington starting next week. |
| It is not clear what information Mr. Manafort might have that would be valuable to Mr. Mueller’s investigation. Mr. Manafort served in several roles in the Trump campaign, and was present for the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower between a number of campaign officials and a Russian lawyer who was thought to be offering dirt on Hillary Clinton. | It is not clear what information Mr. Manafort might have that would be valuable to Mr. Mueller’s investigation. Mr. Manafort served in several roles in the Trump campaign, and was present for the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower between a number of campaign officials and a Russian lawyer who was thought to be offering dirt on Hillary Clinton. |
| Mr. Manafort was once a business partner of another person who has figured in the Mueller inquiry: Roger Stone, who was once a political adviser to Mr. Trump. And in his Trump campaign roles, he worked closely with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law. | Mr. Manafort was once a business partner of another person who has figured in the Mueller inquiry: Roger Stone, who was once a political adviser to Mr. Trump. And in his Trump campaign roles, he worked closely with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law. |
| Mr. Manafort had business dealings with Oleg V. Deripaska, a Russian oligarch who has close ties to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. By 2016, Mr. Deripaska was suing Mr. Manafort and his business partner, Rick Gates, for tens of millions of dollars he said they owed him. Mr. Manafort claimed that Mr. Deripaska was in fact in debt to him. | Mr. Manafort had business dealings with Oleg V. Deripaska, a Russian oligarch who has close ties to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. By 2016, Mr. Deripaska was suing Mr. Manafort and his business partner, Rick Gates, for tens of millions of dollars he said they owed him. Mr. Manafort claimed that Mr. Deripaska was in fact in debt to him. |
| In July 2016, just before the Republican National Convention, Mr. Manafort sought to get a message to Mr. Deripaska offering “private briefings” about the presidential race. | In July 2016, just before the Republican National Convention, Mr. Manafort sought to get a message to Mr. Deripaska offering “private briefings” about the presidential race. |
| Mr. Manafort tried to pass that message to Mr. Deripaska through Konstantin V. Kilimnik, a Russian citizen whose relationship with Mr. Manafort has figured repeatedly in court filings by Mr. Mueller’s team. Prosecutors have said Mr. Kilimnik had active ties to a Russian intelligence service — including during 2016, when he was in contact with both Mr. Manafort and Mr. Gates. | Mr. Manafort tried to pass that message to Mr. Deripaska through Konstantin V. Kilimnik, a Russian citizen whose relationship with Mr. Manafort has figured repeatedly in court filings by Mr. Mueller’s team. Prosecutors have said Mr. Kilimnik had active ties to a Russian intelligence service — including during 2016, when he was in contact with both Mr. Manafort and Mr. Gates. |
| For the previous decade, the three men had worked together promoting pro-Russian political forces in Ukraine and boosting the political fortunes of Viktor F. Yanukovych, who was elected president of Ukraine in 2010. | For the previous decade, the three men had worked together promoting pro-Russian political forces in Ukraine and boosting the political fortunes of Viktor F. Yanukovych, who was elected president of Ukraine in 2010. |
| Four former Trump aides in addition to Mr. Manafort have pleaded guilty to charges related to the special counsel investigation: Michael D. Cohen, the president’s longtime personal lawyer; Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser; Rick Gates, the former deputy campaign chairman; and George Papadopoulos, a former campaign adviser. | Four former Trump aides in addition to Mr. Manafort have pleaded guilty to charges related to the special counsel investigation: Michael D. Cohen, the president’s longtime personal lawyer; Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser; Rick Gates, the former deputy campaign chairman; and George Papadopoulos, a former campaign adviser. |
| The president railed against plea deals in general after Mr. Cohen pleaded guilty last month to breaking campaign finance laws and other charges, implicating Mr. Trump in the cover-up of a potential sex scandal during the 2016 presidential race. Mr. Trump said that trading information on someone else for lesser charges or a lighter sentence “almost ought to be outlawed.” | The president railed against plea deals in general after Mr. Cohen pleaded guilty last month to breaking campaign finance laws and other charges, implicating Mr. Trump in the cover-up of a potential sex scandal during the 2016 presidential race. Mr. Trump said that trading information on someone else for lesser charges or a lighter sentence “almost ought to be outlawed.” |
| Mr. Manafort, who had repeatedly insisted that he would not cooperate with the special counsel, has been reassessing his legal risks after last month’s trial. He was found guilty in that case of eight counts of tax fraud, bank fraud and failure to report a foreign bank account, crimes that legal experts predicted were likely to result in a prison term of six to 12 years. | Mr. Manafort, who had repeatedly insisted that he would not cooperate with the special counsel, has been reassessing his legal risks after last month’s trial. He was found guilty in that case of eight counts of tax fraud, bank fraud and failure to report a foreign bank account, crimes that legal experts predicted were likely to result in a prison term of six to 12 years. |
| The court filings by the prosecutors provided abundant new details about the surreptitious techniques Mr. Manafort used to try to advance the interests of the former president of Ukraine, Viktor F. Yanukovych, in the United States between 2006 and 2014. | The court filings by the prosecutors provided abundant new details about the surreptitious techniques Mr. Manafort used to try to advance the interests of the former president of Ukraine, Viktor F. Yanukovych, in the United States between 2006 and 2014. |
| The charging papers detailed Mr. Manafort’s previously undisclosed work with “a senior Israeli government official” and two European consultants to discredit Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a political opponent who Mr. Yanukovych’s government prosecuted and ultimately jailed. | The charging papers detailed Mr. Manafort’s previously undisclosed work with “a senior Israeli government official” and two European consultants to discredit Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a political opponent who Mr. Yanukovych’s government prosecuted and ultimately jailed. |
| Mr. Manafort admitted to coordinating with the Israeli official, who prosecutors did not identify, on an effort to pressure Jewish officials in the Obama administration — whom Mr. Manafort called “[O]bama jews” at the time — to temper their support for Ms. Tymoshenko by highlighting her alliance with a Ukrainian political party that espoused antisemitic views, according to prosecutors. | Mr. Manafort admitted to coordinating with the Israeli official, who prosecutors did not identify, on an effort to pressure Jewish officials in the Obama administration — whom Mr. Manafort called “[O]bama jews” at the time — to temper their support for Ms. Tymoshenko by highlighting her alliance with a Ukrainian political party that espoused antisemitic views, according to prosecutors. |
| “The Jewish community will take this out on Obama on election day if he does nothing,” Mr. Manafort wrote in a private communication at the time that was detailed by prosecutors. | “The Jewish community will take this out on Obama on election day if he does nothing,” Mr. Manafort wrote in a private communication at the time that was detailed by prosecutors. |
| And Mr. Manafort worked with the two European consultants — who are not named in the charging document, but who The New York Times has identified as Alan Friedman and Eckart Sager — to plant new stories in the United States with “no fingerprints” alleging that Ms. Tymoshenko had paid for the murder of a Ukrainian official, according to prosecutors. Mr. Manafort wrote at the time to a colleague that his goal was “to plant some stink on Tymo” — referring Ms. Tymoshenko by a nickname — and stressed that it was “very important we have no connection.” | And Mr. Manafort worked with the two European consultants — who are not named in the charging document, but who The New York Times has identified as Alan Friedman and Eckart Sager — to plant new stories in the United States with “no fingerprints” alleging that Ms. Tymoshenko had paid for the murder of a Ukrainian official, according to prosecutors. Mr. Manafort wrote at the time to a colleague that his goal was “to plant some stink on Tymo” — referring Ms. Tymoshenko by a nickname — and stressed that it was “very important we have no connection.” |
| Mr. Manafort also waged an “all out campaign” to kill a Senate resolution that would have condemned the treatment of Ms. Tymoshenko by Mr. Yanuovych’s government, without ever revealing to the senators who met with his lobbyists that they were paid by the campaign, the prosecutors said. | Mr. Manafort also waged an “all out campaign” to kill a Senate resolution that would have condemned the treatment of Ms. Tymoshenko by Mr. Yanuovych’s government, without ever revealing to the senators who met with his lobbyists that they were paid by the campaign, the prosecutors said. |