Manafort strikes $11 million bail deal with prosecutors

[deminks]

and another sucker is born.

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/30/paul-manafort-bail-10-million-271762

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has reached a $11 million bail agreement with prosecutors that could clear the way for him to be released from the house arrest he's been under for the past four weeks.

In court filings released Thursday afternoon, Manafort's defense attorneys revealed "an agreed-upon bail package" with lawyers from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office who obtained an indictment last month charging Manafort and business partner Rick Gates with money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents.

The deal involves the pledging of four properties: Manafort's Alexandria, Va. condominium where he's been under home detention, his Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. home, a condo in Manhattan and another property in Bridgehampton, N.Y.

Manafort's defense team said the properties are worth more than $11 million, after existing mortgages are deducted.

"The Defendant will execute an agreement to forfeit four (4) separate real properties if there is a bail violation with a total estimated net value (i.e., fair market value less encumbrances) of approximately $11.65 million. The OSC has agreed that the properties posted provide the reasonable assurance required under the Bail Reform Act," Manafort lawyers Kevin Downing and Tom Zehnle wrote.

(end snip)

You are never gonna see this man again. Ever. 11 million is chump change, to Manafort or Pootey. You are gonna be so sorry. Money talks, justice walks.

[Sophiegirl]

1. Still a lot of $$

I suspect he will be under constant surveillance.

[NightWatcher]

2. He's going to be allowed to travel??? He's going to hop a private jet to Moscow

[BoneyardDem]

3. Who provided the valuation of the properties?

no one should be using the purchase value.

[brucefan]

5. Pretty sure

He had to surrender his passport(s)?

[tblue37]

7. He has 3--that we *know* about. nt

[deminks]

8. He has (had) at least 3

that we know about.

This man also has Russian resources.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-russia-investigation-latest-today-paul-manafort-flight-risk-three-passports-robert-a8030666.html

[NightWatcher]

10. Ever flown in a private plane from a small airport?

There is no security checkpoint and if your pilot has filed a domestic flight plan, they can change it as they go wheels up and fly internationally, right out of the country and away from law enforcement.

[kcr]

12. What is even the point of having customs then if that's the case?

That doesn't seem right.

[NightWatcher]

13. Different rules for rich people.

[kcr]

14. I'm skeptical

Not about the no security thing, but that it's legal to just change your flight plan to international and skiddadle, without having cleared any customs. And I just googled and I'm correct.

[NightWatcher]

16. I never said it was legal. What are they going to do, arrest Manafort?

The key word in the phrase "illegally fleeing the country to avoid prosecution" is "illegally".

[kcr]

20. I don't think he should have been given bail

And I do think it would be much easier to leave the country via private plane for the reasons you say. I just thought you were saying that changing the plans was legal, and I have absolutely zero knowledge of that kind of thing.

[NightWatcher]

23. Sorry to have been too vague or misleading.

[kcr]

25. Oh, no. Like I said, I know next to nothing on the topic.

But I do know it's much less restricted. I've heard crazier things that have turned out to be true, so that's probably why I read it that way.

[LanternWaste]

21. Yes. It's already happened once, very recently in fact.

"What are they going to do, arrest Manafort?"

Yes. It's already happened once, very recently in fact.

[NightWatcher]

24. How do they arrest him after he takes off if he lands in Russia or Ukraine?

Or if he lands somewhere we don't know?

I think he's very likely to flee.

[tammywammy]

15. All international arrivals have to go through Customs including private planes. n/t

[madville]

22. No customs or immigration on outbound flights

They typically only care about arrivals, not departures.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

4. Yeah that sounds like a greeeeeat idea! nt

[GeorgeGist]

6. Time for Mueller ...

to file more indictments.

[grantcart]

9. Big mistake

[Sneederbunk]

19. He is as good as gone.

[Yonnie3]

11. Interesting

Would they allow him to use the properties for bail if they suspect that they were bought with proceeds from illegal activities?

[deminks]

17. That's what I was thinking. They are probably not his properties anyway,

if they were used for money laundering.

[Yonnie3]

18. The indictment definitely says he used laundered money to buy luxury properties.

https://www.justice.gov/sco is the Special Counsel's Office's page and has all the court papers that are public. I don't know if these properties are the ones they referenced.

[BlueJac]

26. Crooks always win in this country, we are so corrupt.

[MiniMe]

27. Crooks with Money always win

Manafort isn't black, and he has money

[matt819]

28. Anyone taking bets on when he leaves for Russia?

We should get a pool going on when he leaves the country. As others have said, $11 million is chump change, especially when it’s not his money. Overall, it’s a tiny investment by Russia for Manafort to have done what he did and assured that the buffoon and chief was elected.

It will definitely be before the scheduled trial next year. The only way I think this could change is if other indictments somehow increase the flight risk and bail is revoked.