Geez, really trying, aren’t they?
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Now 18.
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Obviously, his passport was hacked.
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Yes, it’s not only patriotic to pay your taxes — it’s a lot simpler.
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Before this trial is over we are all going to agree that Gates wasn’t even necessary to put Manafort behind bars. The prosecutors were trying to figure out what kind of witness Gates would be in anticipation of later trials.
If Manafort is smart he will cut a deal sooner than later. The longer he waits the less valuable his evidence becomes.
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Not only that. I cannot imagine the stress that this kind of fraud puts on you. I could never have done such things. The stress would be unbearable.
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Magionos conceded that there were differences but also pointed out that funds from the bank account in question largely benefitted Manafort.
I bet that left a mark.
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I guess forensic accounting must include some handwriting analysis expertise? How else could they ask this?
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attempting to sow doubt in the case regarding the authenticity of the Manafort signature on various documents.
Geez, really trying, aren’t they?
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So Cyprus law firm was responsible for wiring money from Ross bank directly to manafort? things that you go huuummm
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The defense has gone straight to kerning and the like, the last refuge of the desperate.
“Can you explain this slight wiggle, visible in this signature when viewed under an electron microscope?”
“No, not really”
“isn’t it possible then, that this is a forgery by the embezzler Rick Gates of Paul Manafort’s signature?”
“Well in that case you’d have to wonder why he’d do that, because this signature authorized sending the money directly to to Paul Manafort”
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Seems like a hail mary pass with a nerf football. If the defense really believed that some signatures were forged, they’d call in a handwriting expert who probably works in the same building as Magionos.
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He’s obviously being framed. Someone is planting money in his accounts and dressing him in ostrich jackets. The real story here is why anyone would do that to him. Hang in there Paul!
Working book title: Profiles in Plumage
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Bozo the Clown in the photograph?
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If you were absolutely certain that it would never be discovered, which Manafort clearly was based on his ties to all those oligarchs, I’m sure he never missed a minute of sleep.
Until they got him.
I don’t think he’s had a restful night since.
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Forensic accountants are cool people. OT, but a few years back a long time friend made a divorce deal to split assets right down the middle. He had every check and every check register and every bank statement from the day they were married. Their assets were roughly $2million. He hired a forensic accountant who found his wife had stolen about $150 thousand dollars from their accounts over the years.
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He’s really between a rock and hard place. He could turn “state’s evidence” but then he would piss off some Russian olig____chs. (I’m following Judge Ellis’ rules here…) Maybe he is really holding out for a Trump pardon? Too bad that won’t fly in the next trial. To quote “The Godfather”: “Paulie? Won’t see him no more…”
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They are doing their best to sow seeds of doubt, but the last line “Magionos conceded that there were differences but also pointed out that funds from the bank account in question largely benefitted Manafort” blows all of those seeds away.
This is a paper trail case. If there is one thing the Feds are good at it is making a paper trail case. Manafort is in serious jeopardy and I bet his lawyers are telling him that at every recess.
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This is great. I remember a word problem in a math class involving the purchase of copper wire to repair a lamp. The answer was “Mr. Jones needed to purchase 8 feet of copper wire.” Some kid in class protested that “zero” also worked in the equation. And it technically did.
The teacher replies in class: “OK, but then the story is goes: Mr. Jones goes to the store and asks for zero feet of copper wire, purchases exactly no wire, drives home, and uses no wire to not fix his lamp. So you are still wrong.” Was hilarious at the time.
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