WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is suing Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, seeking to recover nearly $3 million from undeclared foreign bank accounts.
Manafort was convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Trump later pardoned Manafort.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Florida, asks a judge to force Manafort to pay fines, penalties and interest after prosecutors say he failed to disclose more than 20 offshore bank accounts he ordered opened in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The lawsuit charges the money was related to consulting work in Ukraine with his deputy Rick Gates and an associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, who were both key figures in Mueller's investigation.
Manafort’s lawyer was critical of the lawsuit.
“Today’s civil lawsuit seeks a money judgment against Mr. Manafort for simply failing to file a tax form,” Jeffrey Neiman said in a statement obtained by CNBC. “Mr. Manafort was aware the Government was going to file the suit because he has tried for months to resolve this civil matter. Nonetheless, the Government insisted on filing this suit simply to embarrass Mr. Manafort.”
