© Reuters/Brian Snyder
Manafort arrives for an arraignment at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, VA, March 8, 2018.
Judge Thomas Ellis III, who is presiding over the second prosecution of Paul Manafort,
wrote in a new order that the deposed Trump campaign chief may well spend the rest of his life in prison.
Ellis imposed restrictive bond conditions against Manafort in the new order, concluding the severity of his alleged crimes and his considerable assets incentivize him to flee the country.
"Defendant faces the very real possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison," Ellis wrote. "In this regard, he poses a substantial risk of flight and the above-mentioned conditions are the least restrictive conditions that will reasonably assure defendant's appearance at trial."
Manafort faces federal prosecution in two jurisdictions. Special counsel Robert Mueller filed numerous charges against him including
eighteen counts of tax fraud, bank fraud, and bank fraud conspiracy at a federal trial court in Alexandria, Va., and
twelve counts of money laundering, conspiracy against the United States, and violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) at the federal trial court in Washington, D.C.
Each tax fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine. The bank fraud charges carry a 30 year maximum sentence and a one million dollar fine. Though he is not likely to receive the maximum penalties, at 68,
Manafort faces the serious prospect of life in prison, even with a reduced sentence.
Comment: Interesting that the judge has already put a judgement out there. New rules?