CBS/AP August 8, 2018, 11:02 AM
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Day 7 of the Paul Manafort trial begins in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday with the continuation of a blistering cross examination of Manafort’s former business associate Rick Gates.
On Tuesday, Gates was forced to answer questions about past infidelity, his embezzlement and what Manafort had directed him to do while in his employment. Lawyers for Manafort are looking to undermine Gates’ credibility and blame him for any crimes in the case, suggesting that he’s told “so many lies” that he can’t possibly remember them all.
Gates has told jurors he and Manafort spent years carrying out a vast tax-evasion and bank fraud conspiracy involving millions of dollars. He’s expected to go for at least another hour in questioning with Manafort’s attorney’s.
— Reporting by Paula Reid, Clare Hymes, Kristine Guillaume, Bryce Klehm and Parita Desai.
Follow along for live updates of the trial:
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Downing questions Gates once again
Downing began questioning Gates about the money he embezzled from Manafort. He then asked about the preparation Gates did with his lawyer and the prosecutor, Andres. Gates said he met with Andres 20 times before the trial.
Downing then reiterated testimony from Gates that he an affair and made a mistake at which point Downing then asked if Gates told the special counsel that he had 4 affairs which prompted an immediate objection by Andres.
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Gates questioned by prosecutors on lying to FBI
The prosecution questioned Gates about the July 2014 FBI interview, after which Gates said Manafort asked Gates to meet with one of the Ukrainian businessman to understand if the entity the businessman to pay Manafort in his offshore accounts was a “clean entity.”
Gates was questioned about his guilty plea of lying to the FBI. Gates said he lied to the FBI by making misleading statements about a meeting Manafort had with a United States Congressman about a “specific issue.”
Andres also asked about the plea agreement made with the Special Counsel. Through questioning, Gates reiterated that if he breached the agreement and lied on the stand, he could face up to 100 years. Gates also confirmed that if he lied, the special counsel could tear up the plea agreement.
The prosecution also went over Gates’ plea agreement and his failure to file an FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Record) for his foreign back account with EVO holdings. The prosecution challenged Downing’s question yesterday about what Gates was prepped to say in the trial by Special Counsel. Gates said that in preparation for the trial, “the only answer I was told was to tell the truth.”
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Gates pressed on FBI interview in cross examination
After Judge Ellis began the trial around 9:45 am, the cross examination of Rick Gates by Manafort’s defense lawyer Kevin Downing continued, lasting less than 15 minutes.
During the cross examination, Downing questioned Gates about an FBI interview given by Gates and Manafort in 2014. Gates said the two agreed to be open in the interviews.
Downing also questioned Gates on what he believed Manafort’s net worth to be, which was lower than his net worth in reality.
Prosecutor Greg Andres told Judge Ellis the redirect would last less then 30 minutes to which Ellis laughed and replied “alright.”
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Gates’ infidelity put on the record
Manafort attorney Kevin Downing probed Gates about his “secret life,” which consisted of an extramarital affair ten years ago and a London flat, among other things. Downing pressed Gates if embezzled funds were used to maintain the apartment.
“As part of your ‘secret life,’ did you maintain a flat in London?” Downing asked Gates.
Gates testified that that his wife knew about his infidelity as well as his foreign account. Downing pressed him why he was calling it “unauthorized transactions” instead of embezzlement, “it was embezzlement,” Gates conceded.
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Tuesday’s grilling of Gates
CBS News’ Paula Reid reports that Gates was “visibly nervous” under relentless questioning by Manafort’s defense attorneys, who are hoping the jury will see Manafort as a victim in this case.
Gates testified under oath that he had committed financial crimes including tax evasion and bank fraud at Manafort’s direction, even admitting to the jury that it was possible he may have submitted personal expenses to the inaugural committee during the 2016 campaign.
Gates told the defense that he had falsified financial records because Manafort was “upset” about how much money he had owed in taxes. But attorney’s for Manafort left the courthouse on Tuesday hailing it a “great day” for their client.
