U.S. investigators seek to turn Manafort in Russia probe: sources

[MelissaB]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. investigators examining money laundering accusations against President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort hope to push him to cooperate with their probe into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia, two sources with direct knowledge of the investigation said.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team is examining Manafort's financial and real estate records in New York as well as his involvement in Ukrainian politics, the officials said.

Between 2006 and 2013, Manafort bought three New York properties, including one in Trump Tower in Manhattan. He paid for them in full and later took out mortgages against them. A former senior U.S. law enforcement official said that tactic is often used as a means to hide the origin of funds gained illegally. Reuters has no independent evidence that Manafort did this.

The sources also did not say whether Mueller has uncovered any evidence to charge Manafort with money laundering, but they said doing so is seen by investigators as critical in getting his full cooperation in their investigation.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-manafort-idUSKBN1A70F8

[Botany]

1. Mueller team lawyer brings witness-flipping expertise to Trump probes

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-lawyers-idUSKBN19A1CM

(Reuters) - A veteran federal prosecutor recruited onto special counsel Robert Mueller's team is known for a skill that may come in handy in the investigation of potential ties between Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team: persuading witnesses to turn on friends, colleagues and superiors.

Andrew Weissmann, who headed the U.S. Justice Department's criminal fraud section before joining Mueller's team last month, is best known for two assignments - the investigation of now-defunct energy company Enron and organized crime cases in Brooklyn, New York - that depended heavily on gaining witness cooperation.

Securing the cooperation of people close to Trump, many of whom have been retaining their own lawyers, could be important for Mueller, who was named by the Justice Department as special counsel on May 17 and is investigating, among other issues, whether Trump himself has sought to obstruct justice. Trump has denied allegations of both collusion and obstruction.

"Flipping" witnesses is a common, although not always successful, tactic in criminal prosecutions.

[MelissaB]

2. Wasn't Manafort looking for a deal before?

I don't think they will have too much trouble flipping him if so.

[cstanleytech]

3. I doubt he will turn on Trump assuming he knows anything especially if

he has an agreement with Trump beforehand that he will take the bullet for Trump in return for a pardon.

[DK504]

4. Between 2006 and 2013, Manafort bought three New York properties ...

... including one in Trump Tower in Manhattan."

Was he being sued by his "employers"? How did he ever afford condos in the wanna be Kremlin tower?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. He's going to need witness protection.

The Russians won't take kindly to him having run off with the money and not delivering the goods.

He'll be stuck in a cabin in upstate New Hampshire with nothing to entertain him but two copies of Mr. Magorium's Magic Emporium.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. I doubt he'll turn

and he's been on all sides of everything, I can't see what credibility he would have.

[pnwmom]

7. Another article on that topic:

http://www.salon.com/2017/07/22/federal-investigators-in-russia-probe-hope-to-flip-paul-manafort-report/

[Nitram]

8. They can offer immunity if he cooperates, indictment if he doesn't.