DOJ Sues Paul Manafort over Foreign Bank Accounts

APR 29 2022·Updated JAN 20 2023

Story

Image credit: Seth Wenig/Associated Press [via The Wall Street Journal]

The Facts

The DOJ has filed a civil lawsuit against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, seeking almost $3M in damages for allegedly failing to declare foreign bank accounts.
CBS News
Manafort is accused of failing to report his interest in accounts, many of which were nominally owned by shell corporations, on his federal taxes. He was informed of the potential penalties in 2020.
NBC
The one-time chair of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign was first indicted in 2017 on charges of money laundering and obstruction of justice related to his dealings with Ukrainian politicians. Those charges were brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
wapo
Manafort was convicted by a Virginia jury in 2018 and subsequently pleaded guilty to separate charges in federal court in DC.
wapo
He was eventually sentenced to more than 7 years in prison, but was released early in 2020 due to health concerns surronding the COVID pandemic.
wapo
Former President Trump pardoned the veteran political consultant in 2020.
Daily Mail

Sources Split

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The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

Biden's DOJ just can't let go of the Trump-Russia investigation, the impetus of which can be traced back to Clinton campaign money. Now it's trying to extract financial penalties against Paul Manafort simply for failing to file a tax form. He has already been pardoned, but the Mueller witch hunt continues.

FOX News

Left narrative

Trump's corrupt campaign manager just can't help himself. He could have walked away quietly after Trump pardoned him to secure his silence. Instead, he's re-hung up his shingle as the "torturer's lobbyist," and now the DOJ is coming after him for lying about his foreign assets.

MS Now