Trump-Russia: New charges for Paul Manafort and Rick Gates

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The special counsel investigating claims of Russian political meddling in the US has filed new charges against two former aides to Donald Trump.

Robert Mueller indicted Mr Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and business associate Rick Gates on multiple counts of tax and bank fraud.

Both were charged in October with conspiracy to launder money.

But there are no charges of collusion with Russia, the main thrust of the Justice Department investigation.

What are the new charges?

Thursday’s 32-count indictment alleges that Mr Manafort and Mr Gates conspired to hide more than $30m (£22m) in personal income from tax officials.

It also alleged the two defendants filed tax returns to the US authorities from 2010-14 that they knew to be factually incorrect.

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Rick Gates

According to the unsealed indictment, more than $75m “flowed through” an offshore account controlled by them.

The court filing – returned by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia – says Mr Manafort “used his hidden overseas wealth to enjoy a lavish lifestyle in the United States”, without paying taxes.

He spent millions on luxury goods and services for himself and his extended family, it is alleged.

Mr Gates is accused of using his share of the un-taxed money to pay for “personal expenses, including his mortage, children’s tuition” and re-decorating his Virginia home.

How many people have been charged?

Nineteen people, including four former Trump advisers, have been indicted by the special counsel.

But as President Trump has repeatedly pointed out, there is no criminal allegation in the ongoing inquiry that any of his associates colluded with an alleged Kremlin plot to influence the result of the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Manafort and Mr Gates have pleaded not guilty to 12 counts including money laundering and conspiracy against the US.

Michael Flynn, the former US national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI over meetings he had with the Russian Ambassador, Sergei Kislyak.

George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser, admitted lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians.

Last week, 13 Russians were charged with tampering in the 2016 US election and a California man, Richard Pinedo, admitted an identity theft charge.

This week a London-based lawyer, Alex van der Zwaan, 33, appeared in court to plead guilty to making false statements to the Mueller inquiry when questioned about his work for Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice.

Trump-Russia: New charges for Paul Manafort and Rick Gates