NBC News Reports Manafort Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges

Just minutes ago NBC News reported that former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has pleaded guilty to federal charges and reached a plea deal with prosecutors. They provided a link to a video discussing this breaking development on their news website.

“WATCH: NBC News Special Report: Paul Manafort has agreed with federal prosecutors to plead guilty in Mueller investigation”

This is a breaking story and PoliticusUSA will provide more details as they become available for our readers.

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

Earlier this morning NBC News had reported that a Manafort plea deal with prosecutors was imminent.

Here is the earlier NBC News report:

“Paul Manafort, formerly President Donald Trump’s campaign chairman, is expected to plead guilty to a federal conspiracy charge that accused him of money laundering, tax fraud, and lying to investigators, according to a document filed in federal court.”

“A charging document was filed Friday in the District of Columbia, which accuses Manafort, 69, of participating in a conspiracy against the United States — money laundering, tax fraud, failing to file Foreign Bank Account Reports, violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and lying and misrepresenting to the Department of Justice. He is also charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, involving witness tampering.”

“The plea deal pertains to the second of Manafort‘s two federal trials. Jury selection for the trial, in a Washington federal court, had been scheduled to start Monday. Manafort is due to appear at a preliminary hearing for the trial Friday at 11 a.m.”

Paul Manafort was Donald Trump‘s campaign chairman for six months during the 2016 presidential campaign. He is known to have ties to Russian oligarchs and other shady characters throughout the world. Nearly one year ago he was indicted on 20 different federal criminal charges by special counsel Robert Mueller. In August his first criminal trial was completed and he was found guilty on eight criminal charges.

10 a.m. Update: Paul Manafort and his attorneys met with federal prosecutors this morning and reached a plea agreement, which means that Manfort has pleaded guilty to at least some of the criminal charges against him.

Manafort will have a hearing with Judge Amy Berman Jackson this morning at 11 a.m. when she will review the plea agreement.

Manafort’s guilty pleas, and his agreement with the prosecutors, will not be official until approved by Judge Jackson.

Once the guilty plea is official, the media will receive the details of the deal, including a possible cooperation agreement.

Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.