Mueller accuses Manafort of attempted witness tampering
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is seeking to revoke the bail of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, for allegedly tampering with witnesses in the year-long probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, according to a court filing Monday night.
Attorneys with the special counsel have accused Manafort of "attempting to tamper with potential witnesses" while awaiting his trial, which thereby "has violated the conditions of his release."
In February, within days of Mueller's filing a 32-count superseding indictment against Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman allegedly contacted two individuals who worked with him on a lobbying scheme to aid his Kremlin-backed Ukrainian clients.
The two individuals were members of the "Hapsburg group," described by Mueller in the February superseding indictment of Manafort as "a group of former senior European politicians to take positions favorable to Ukraine, including by lobbying in the United States."
Mueller's team is asking the Washington, D.C., federal court to revoke Manafort's current $10 million bail and is asking that the court "promptly schedule the hearing called for by the statute to determine Manafort's release status."
Representatives for the special counsel's office and for Mueller declined to comment to ABC News.
Manafort faces two indictments in Washington, D.C., and Virginia on charges related to tax fraud and other financial crimes.
The government has not charged Manafort with the crime of witness-tampering or obstruction of justice.
On Tuesday morning, the judge overseeing Manafort's Washington, D.C., trial set a June 15 date to hear arguments for and against a possible bail revision.
