The Manafort trial: Guilty on 8 counts

By Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha, Brian Ries and Sophie Tatum, CNN

Updated 8:10 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018
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8:07 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

Paul Manafort was found guilty on 8 counts. Here's how it went down.

President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts of financial crimes today.

Here's everything you need to know:

  • The verdict: Manafort was found guilty of five tax fraud charges, one charge of hiding foreign bank accounts and two counts of bank fraud.
  • The possible sentence: Manafort faces a maximum of 80 years in prison.
  • The mistrial: Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on 10 charges, and Judge T.S. Ellis declared a mistrial on those counts.
  • What Manafort's attorney said: Manafort's lawyer Kevin Downing said Manafort is "disappointed" the jury did not acquit his client on all charges.
  • What Trump said: "Paul Manafort is a good man. He was with Ronald Reagan. He was with a lot of different people over the years. I feel very sad about that," the President said.
  • And the other Trump news: The verdict came at the same time Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen was in a New York federal court to plead guilty to multiple counts of campaign finance violations, tax fraud and bank fraud.
5:50 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

Trump says he feels very badly for Paul Manafort

Deplaning in West Virginia ahead of tonight's rally, President Trump praised his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort as a "good man" and attacked special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as "witch hunt" and a "disgrace."

"Paul Manafort is a good man. He was with Ronald Reagan. He was with a lot of different people over the years. I feel very sad about that. It doesn’t involve me but I still feel..." Trump said.

Trump noted that the charges Manafort was convicted of on Tuesday have "nothing to do with Russian collusion" and criticized the investigation for arriving at this point.

"It’s a witch hunt and it’s disgrace. But this has nothing to do with what they started out," Trump said. "It was not the original mission believe me. It was something very much different. It had nothing to do with Russian collusion."

Trump did not answer any questions about his former personal attorney Michael Cohen, who plead guilty to eight charges in his trial related to tax, fraud and campaign finance violation charges.

5:38 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

Manafort faces up to 80 years in prison

A jury found Paul Manafort guilty on eight of 18 counts against him. Those eight counts carry a maximum sentence of 80 years.

The judge has not set a sentencing date yet. 

Here's the breakdown of the counts:

  • Count 1: Tax Fraud — Subscribing to false US individual income tax returns in 2010 (3 year maximum sentence)
  • Count 2: Tax Fraud — Subscribing to false US individual income tax returns in 2011 (3 year max sentence)
  • Count 3: Tax Fraud - Subscribing to false US individual income tax returns in 2012 (3 year maximum sentence)
  • Count 4: Tax Fraud — Subscribing to false US individual income tax returns in 2013 (3 year maximum sentence)
  • Count 5: Tax Fraud — Subscribing to false US individual income tax returns in 2014 (3 year maximum sentence)
  • Count 12: Hiding Foreign Bank Accounts — Failure to File Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts in 2012 (5 year maximum sentence)
  • Count 25: Bank Fraud — $3.4 million Citizens Bank loan (30 year maximum sentence) 
  • Count 27: Bank Fraud — $1 million Bank of California loan (30 year maximum sentence) 

Note: The count numbers are drawn from indictment, which is why the numbering seems off

A mistrial was declared on the remaining 10 counts: Three hiding foreign bank accounts and seven bank fraud or bank fraud conspiracy.

5:23 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

Manafort is "disappointed" he did not get acquittals, lawyer says

Paul Manafort's lawyer Kevin Downing just made a brief statement following the verdict. He said Manafort is "disappointed" the jury did not acquit his client on all charges.

Here's the full statement:

"Mr. Manafort is disappointed at not getting acquittals all the way through, or a complete hung jury on all counts. However, he would like to thank Judge Ellis for granting him a fair trial, thank the jury for their very long and hard-fought deliberations. He is evaluating all of his options at this point. Thank you, everyone."

5:10 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

Defense asks for 30 days to ask for judgment of acquittal

From CNN's Katelyn Polantz

Defense attorney Richard Westling asked Judge T.S. Ellis for 30 days to file for a judgement of acquittal.  

Ellis has not a set a date, and is waiting for the prosecution to weigh in on the 30 days.

5:08 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

Manafort nodded to his wife on his way out of court

From CNN's Liz Stark and Devon Sayers 

As Paul Manafort exited the courtroom, he was did not smile, but he gave a quick nod to his wife, Kathleen, who was sitting in the front row. 

Kathleen made no comment as she left the courthouse. 

After the trial concluded, prosecutors and defense attorneys were cordial and shook hands.  

5:06 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

What the judge said to Paul Manafort

Judge T.S. Ellis spoke directly to Paul Manafort at the podium to tell him he has been found guilty of several charges.

He did not smile. Manafort's attorney Kevin Downing stood behind him.

Manafort's wife, Kathleen, expressed no emotion and stared ahead. She had her hands clasped on her lap. 

4:59 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

Court wraps up for the day

The court has ended for the day.

A sentencing date in the criminal trial of Paul Manafort has yet to be set.

Prosecutors have until Aug. 29 to say what they plan to do about the 10 counts declared a mistrial. 

4:48 p.m. ET, August 21, 2018

The jury has been excused and discouraged from talking to the press

From CNN's Marshall Cohen

Judge T.S. Ellis has just excused the Manafort jury. 

Ellis encouraged the jury not to talk to the press but did not bar them from doing so. 

"I suggest to you that you have a duty of confidentiality," he said.