By Steve Neavling
Ticklethewire.com
Paul Manafort’s former longtime business partner, Rick Gates, is expected to testify against his old buddy this week in a criminal trial that could land the former Trump campaign chairman in prison for the rest of his life.
Rick Gates, who also served as an aide in Trump’s campaign, struck a plea deal with special counsel prosecutors to testify against Manafort, who is charged with 18 counts of tax fraud and banking crimes.
Gates is a vital witness for federal prosecutors’ case that alleges Manafort hid millions of dollars in secret, off-short bank accounts from profits he made working with a Russia-friendly Ukrainian political party. When he stopped working as a consultant for Ukrainian officials, Manafort lied to banks about his income to obtain loans to finance his “extravagant lifestyle,” prosecutors allege.
The trial resumes today and will be the second week of testimony for special counsel Robert Mueller’s team.
Gates told prosecutors he has firsthand knowledge of the crimes.
The defense plans to paint Gates as en embezzler willing to bend the truth because of the leniency he received in the plea bargain.
