Paul Manafort, Rick Gates Indicted

In the first charges since special counsel Robert Mueller launched his five-month federal investigation into the 2016 election, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and former business associate, Rick Gates, were ordered Monday to surrender to authorities, according to New York Times sources.

Prior to the Grand Jury for DC indictment charges, Manafort had been previously investigated for tax violation, money laundering and insufficient disclosure of foreign lobbying. Sunday reports suggested suspicious off-shore transactions were at the heart of Manafort's charges.

The pair are known business connections. According to the Times, Gates is affiliated with Manafort’s foreign firms that received payments from European business and political leaders.

Trump has denounced the investigation from the start, calling it a "witch hunt" meant to block the Republican agenda.

Throughout the five-month probe, Mueller had interviewed some of Trump's top officials, including chief of staff Reince Priebus.

Early Monday morning, reports emerged that Manafort has entered the FBI office in D.C.

The 31-page indictment document includes 12 statuatory allegation counts, including: ______ Image Credit: Screengrab

1. Conspiracy against the United States.
2. Conspiracy to launder money.
3. Failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts for calendar years 2011-2014.
4. Failure to file reports of foreing bank and financial accounts for years 2011-2013.
5. False and misleading FARA statements.
6. False statements.