A new Paul Manafort Legal Defense Fund website has popped up online, with a call to help the indicted former Trump campaign chairman "mount the strongest and most thorough defense possible."
The site does not indicate who is behind the effort other than "long time friends of Paul Manafort."
From NPR:
Manafort and his family are "struggling to pay legal bills," according to an email on Wednesday announcing the fund that was provided to BuzzFeed News.
The fund was established by unnamed, "longtime" friends of Manafort. A spokesperson for Manafort declined to comment. Fund organizers did not immediately return a request for comment.
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Manafort is facing criminal charges in federal courts in Washington, DC, and Alexandria, Virginia, in connection with his previous work for the Ukrainian government, including allegations that he conspired to launder money earned from that work and that he failed to register as an agent for a foreign entity. He's also facing bank fraud and tax charges.
The indictments include forfeiture claims against property and financial accounts that the government would seize if Manafort is convicted. In most criminal cases, the government doesn't seize assets subject to forfeiture at the start of a case, but those assets are subject to a pretrial restraining order that limits how they can be used while the case is pending.
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The website for Manafort's legal defense fund doesn't specify a fundraising goal. According to the email announcement, any leftover money will go to the American Civil Liberties Union, "so that they may continue to uphold the civil rights of ordinary citizens." The website says that leftover funds will go to either the ACLU or the Brain Trauma Foundation. Manafort's friends also launched Twitter and Facebook accounts to promote the site.
The website says the trust will "maintain strict confidentiality" about the identity of donors, but also includes a disclosure stating that "Donations from foreign individuals, corporations and other entities are subject to public reporting."
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The Manafort fund website doesn't include restrictions on who can donate, but does state in a disclaimer that the trustees can "reject any gifts they deem inappropriate."
Paul Manfort's Friends Have Launched A Legal Defense Fund, Saying He's Struggling To Pay His Bills (BuzzFeed News)