Breaking News

FBI Agents Searched Former Trump Campaign Chair's Home

WASHINGTON (AP) -- FBI agents have searched one of the homes of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Manafort's spokesman said Wednesday.

   FILE - In this July 17, 2016 file photo, Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort talks to reporters on the floor of the Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland as Rick Gates listens at back left. President Donald Trump’s eldest son and his former campaign chairman are agreeing to discuss being privately interviewed by a Senate committee investigating Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)


Spokesman Jason Maloni said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Manafort's homes, but he would not say when the search occurred. The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said it occurred the morning of July 26 at Manafort's home in Alexandria, Va.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," Maloni said.

Manafort has been a subject of a longstanding FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is also investigating Manafort as part of his probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Manafort has denied any wrongdoing. He has also cooperated with congressional committees investigating the election interference. Manafort recently spoke with staff of the Senate Intelligence committee about a June 2016 meeting he attended with Donald Trump Jr. That meeting was described to Trump Jr. in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign.

Manafort has also turned over documents to the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary committees.

Law enforcement authorities seeking to obtain a search warrant must generally establish to a judge that there is probable cause to believe that a crime may have been committed. Applications for such warrants tend to be detailed about the evidence that agents are looking for and the nature of the criminal activity they are investigating.

Manafort led the Trump campaign for several months.

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed reporting.

No comments