Ex-Trump aide Paul Manafort faces more charges in Russia inquiry
Special counsel Robert Mueller brought the additional charges against political consultants Paul Manafort and Konstantin Kilmnik.
Friday 8 June 2018 22:13, UK
New charges have been filed against US President Donald Trump's former adviser Paul Manafort as part of the probe into Russian meddling.
The latest charges allege that he used offshore accounts to pay former senior European politicians who are allies of Ukraine.
Special counsel Robert Mueller brought the additional charges against Mr Manafort - a longtime associate of Donald Trump - and Konstantin Kilimnik.
Mr Manafort, 69, is already awaiting trial on charges related to lobbying work.
Prosecutors have accused Mr Kilimnik of having links to Russian intelligence.
The indictment charges both men with obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice in relation to contacts they had with two witnesses earlier this year.
The witnesses had worked with Mr Manafort as he represented a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine.
They believed Mr Manafort and Mr Kilimnik had tried to make them lie about the nature of their work, they told the FBI.
Mr Manafort has maintained his innocence.
His spokesman, Jason Maloni, said that Mr Manafort and his attorneys were reviewing the charges.
He has pleaded not guilty to previous charges brought by the special counsel, including money laundering, tax and bank fraud charges.
Mr Kilimnik, who is the 20th person to be indicted by Mr Mueller's team, previously declined to comment on the allegations.
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The contacts via phone and encrypted messaging applications first occurred in February, prosecutors said.
Mr Kilimnik allegedly reached out to witnesses in April.
The latest charges mark the second time since October that an indictment against Mr Manafort has been amended to include further allegations.
The political consultant is expected to be in court on those charges next month.
Prosecutors will allege that he is guilty of the crimes that could give him a possible sentence of life in prison.
Mr Mueller's probe has been investigating the Russian government's links to Mr Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign for over a year.
The US leader has repeatedly criticised the Mueller probe, calling it a "witch hunt".
He used his Twitter account to suggest he is being unfairly treated.
He tweeted: "With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel (sic) appointed!
"This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!"