By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON (AA) – Former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty Tuesday of eight of the 18 federal charges brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Manafort was convicted of five tax fraud charges, two bank fraud charges and one count of hiding foreign bank accounts. The 68-year-old Manafort essentially faces a life sentence, totaling 80 years in prison. The convictions are the first major trial victory for Mueller's team, which is probing possible collusion between the Trump's campaign team and an alleged Russian effort to influence the 2016 presidential election.
A federal judge declared a mistrial on the additional 10 counts Manafort faced following four days of jury deliberations.
Manafort faces a separate case in the District of Columbia.
Trump and his team have repeatedly blasted Mueller’s investigation, calling it a “witch hunt”. But it has led to the indictments of more than 30 individuals, including a dozen Russian intelligence officers and a Dutch national.
Trump's long-time personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty in a separate case in New York on Tuesday. That case is being handled by the Justice Department's Southern District of New York.
