Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s one-time campaign chairman, has offered to post $8 million worth of property, pledge life insurance policies, and agree to travel restrictions in exchange for being let out of his house.
Manafort and co-defendant Rick Gates were indicted on Oct. 27 for money laundering and related allegations, among the first charges lodged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his probe of Russian influence on the 2016 presidential election.
Both men have been confined to their homes and subject to electronic monitoring since entering not guilty pleas at their initial court hearing nearly a week ago. Manafort agreed to be liable for $10 million if he violates his release terms. For Gates, that sum is $5 million. Now each has asked the court for a change in those conditions. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson will hear arguments on Nov. 6.
Prosecutors have called both men flight risks, citing the nature of the charges, and their extensive foreign ties and assets, some of which were accumulated while working for Ukrainian clients there. Defense lawyers have disputed those assertions.
“While some reports have painted this as though Mr. Manafort is akin to a 68-year-old ‘Jason Bourne’ character, the facts are much more mundane,” his attorneys said in a Saturday court filing touting his lack of a prior criminal record, nearly 40-year marriage, children and grandchildren.
Prosecutors haven’t agreed to his terms as Manafort has had some difficulty assembling supporting documentation, according to the filing. The Mueller team’s response is due Sunday.
The case is U.S. v. Manafort, 17-cr-201, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).
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