New York Times: Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump’s Campaign Chief
The New York Times has been investigating Donald Trump’s campaign manager Paul Manafort, and just look what they’ve turned up: Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump’s Campaign Chief.
Government investigators examining secret records have found his name, as well as companies he sought business with, as they try to untangle a corrupt network they say was used to loot Ukrainian assets and influence elections during the administration of Mr. Manafort’s main client, former President Viktor F. Yanukovych.
Handwritten ledgers show $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments designated for Mr. Manafort from Mr. Yanukovych’s pro-Russian political party from 2007 to 2012, according to Ukraine’s newly formed National Anti-Corruption Bureau. Investigators assert that the disbursements were part of an illegal off-the-books system whose recipients also included election officials.
In addition, criminal prosecutors are investigating a group of offshore shell companies that helped members of Mr. Yanukovych’s inner circle finance their lavish lifestyles, including a palatial presidential residence with a private zoo, golf course and tennis court. Among the hundreds of murky transactions these companies engaged in was an $18 million deal to sell Ukrainian cable television assets to a partnership put together by Mr. Manafort and a Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, a close ally of President Vladimir V. Putin.
And look who just tweeted a link to this article — former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Think there might be some bad blood between these two?
Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump’s Campaign Chief https://t.co/7bh7iIHHaY
— Corey Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) August 15, 2016
And this may be just the first sign of the dam breaking:
Speaking as someone who has a story coming this week: This is just the beginning for Manafort. It gets worse. https://t.co/5KTUsIHbX1
— Adam Weinstein (@AdamWeinstein) August 15, 2016
Trump has now lost the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal:
WSJ ed board: “Mr. Trump has alienated his party and he isn’t running a competent campaign.” https://t.co/u6BE8wdzs2 via @WSJ
— Katie Glueck (@katieglueck) August 15, 2016