Report: NYC Preparing to Charge Manafort in Face of Possible Pardon

Report: NYC Preparing to Charge Manafort in Face of Possible Pardon

WASHINGTON —

The Manhattan district attorney’s office is preparing state criminal charges against Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, in case Trump pardons him for his federal crimes, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing several people with knowledge of the matter.

Manafort, 69, could spend the rest of his life in prison for charges stemming from his work as an international political consultant and lobbyist. He is due to be sentenced in a federal court in Virginia on March 8, where he faces a prison sentence of up to 24 years and a fine of up to $24 million, and in another federal court, in Washington, D.C., on March 13.

He is one of the first people in Trump's orbit to face criminal charges stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Original Article