Mueller Accuses Paul Manafort of Attempted Witness Tampering

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Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, tried to contact witnesses in the case against him by phone and through an encrypted messaging program, prosecutors said.CreditShawn Thew/EPA, via Shutterstock

By Matt Apuzzo

• June 4, 2018

Federal prosecutors on Monday accused President Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, of attempting to tamper with witnesses in his federal tax and lobbying case.

In court documents, prosecutors working for the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, said that Mr. Manafort tried to contact witnesses by phone and through an encrypted messaging program.

Prosecutors said that was a violation of Mr. Manafort’s release while he awaits trial. They asked a federal judge to revise the terms of his release or revoke it entirely, which would send him to jail until trial.

An F.B.I. agent, Brock W. Domin, wrote in court documents that at least one witness reported Mr. Manafort’s contact and said that he appeared to be trying to coach their story about Mr. Manafort’s lobbying practices.

NYT