Paul Manafort’s fraud trial: More vendors testify – live updates

FAN Editor

CBS News’ Clare Hymes and Parita Desai contributed to this report.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Prosecutors want former Paul Manafort associate Rick Gates to testify in Manafort’s fraud trial. Ten witnesses have testified so far, out of the potential 35 the government has offered.

The prosecution is calling more vendors on the third day of the trial, including the landscaper who worked on Manafort’s Hamptons home, an electronics home improvement contractor and Manafort’s bookkeeper. The money trail, prosecutors are arguing, shows that the former campaign chairman took millions from wealthy Ukrainian clients then hid it from banks and the IRS, often paying for expensive clothing, jewelry and services with money wired from offshore accounts in Cyprus connected to Manafort’s Ukrainian consulting payments.

Lawyers have already relayed evidence they said showed Manafort personally directed millions of dollars in international wire transfers to pay for high-end suits and more than $3 million in improvements at various houses.

On Thursday, prosecutors pressed the judge for more leeway to submit more evidence of Manafort’s lavish spending, presenting a slightly trimmed down list of evidence from some 500 exhibits.

Manafort’s lawyers have signaled they will pin blame for any illegal conduct on his longtime deputy, Rick Gates, who could testify against Manafort, who reportedly seemed calm and prepared for the court proceedings.

The trial is the first to stem from the Russia probe by special counsel Robert Mueller, who was tasked last year with investigating the Kremlin’s efforts to sway the U.S. presidential election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign. That investigation remains ongoing, and this week’s financial fraud trial is not tied to collusion.

The trial so far has included descriptions of Manafort’s $15,000 jacket made of ostrich leather and the more than $6 million in cash he put toward real estate. One witness, Maximillian Katzman, testified that Manafort spent more than $900,000 at his boutique retailer in New York. He said Manafort was the only business client of his who paid via international wire transfer.

Manafort has a second trial scheduled for September in the District of Columbia that would address allegations that he acted as an unregistered foreign agent for Ukrainian interests and made false statements to the U.S. government.

Prosecutors expect to rest their case next week, ahead of schedule.

Follow along with updates below:

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