By Steve Neavling
Ticklethewire.com
Paul Gates, a former campaign aide to President Trump, testified Monday that he helped his former business partner, Paul Manafort, commit bank and tax fraud.
At Manafort’s tax and bank fraud trial, Gates said he helped Manafort file false tax returns to conceal millions of dollars kept in foreign bank accounts.
Gates was testifying as part of a plea deal with special prosecutors, providing strong evidence against Manafort, the former chairman of Trump’s campaign.
If convicted, Manafort could spend the rest of his life behind bars on 18 counts of tax fraud and banking crimes.
Gates also testified that he embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort.
During his testimony, Gates told prosecutors he helped Manafort violate the law by falsifying and doctoring documents and concealing tens of millions of dollars in foreign banks to avoid pay taxes on the income.
Today, Gates is expected to face tough questions from defense attorneys who have been trying to chip away at his credibility.
