By now most everyone has, or should have, heard of Paul Manafort. Suffice to say he is a convicted crook.
Manafort moved more than $30 million that he made from his Ukrainian clients from a complex web of offshore shell companies into the United States between 2008 and 2014. He spent about half of it buying real estate and luxury goods and services, and the other half as supposed “loans” to US companies he controlled.
But he did not report any of these millions on his income tax returns — or pay taxes on it. He also falsely said, on those tax returns, that he had no authority over any financial accounts in foreign countries.
Manafort’s vast offshore financial holdings were the basis of other charges as well. He controlled at least 14 separate foreign accounts in Cyprus and the Grenadines, and prosecutors claimed a total of more than $75 million flowed through those accounts.
Prosecutors said that between 2015 and early 2017, Manafort defrauded or attempted to defraud several US banks, by lying about his company’s finances and other matters in loan applications.
To get a $3.4 million loan on a New York City condo he owned, Manafort falsely told Citizens Bank that the property was a second home when it was a rental property, failed to disclose previous mortgage debt, and, after the lender discovered that debt, falsely claimed it was forgiven. He was convicted of one count of bank fraud for this.
In search of another loan, Manafort submitted a doctored profit and loss form to the Banc of California that overstated his consulting firm’s income by more than $4 million. He was convicted of another count of bank fraud.
On Friday Manafort appeared in a Virginia federal court in a wheelchair, missing his right shoe, and visibly grayer. His lawyers said Manafort, 69, was dealing with "significant" health issues and asked the court to expedite his sentencing and, no doubt playing the sad violin, feigning to get a lesser sentence.
You know what Paul... I'm 68, worked all of my adult life, paid all of my taxes, currently on social security, and have age related health issues. I haven't defrauded anyone out of millions of dollars. I'm a little hard pressed to feel sorry for you.
In fact Paul, you are a fraudulent weasel. I hope the sentencing judge sees through your act and puts you and your wheel chair in the slammer for the rest of your life.
Just one day more...
