U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, to be jailed until his trial in September on charges involving money laundering, fraud, and unlawful lobbying.
Prior to Judge Jackson’s orders, Manafort had been under house arrest as he tried to raise the $10 million in bail the court asked for. The decision to jail Manafort rested on evidence presented by Special Counsel Robert Mueller that Manafort and his longtime associate Konstantin Kilimnik, who is suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence, tried to tamper with witnesses in Manafort’s pending legal case.
Reportedly, Trump’s legal team and even the prosecution was taken aback by the court’s decision.:
Sources close to Trump legal team tell @ABC they're "stunned" by Manafort bail decision. No response yet from the President's attorneys on today's development.
— John Santucci (@JTSantucci) June 15, 2018
The judge’s decision to jail Paul Manafort has truly surprised courthouse regulars, including members of the prosecution team.
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) June 15, 2018
Manafort has been one of the great hold-outs in the Mueller investigation. Unlike others charged by the special counsel, notably Manafort’s former deputy and former son-in-law Rick Gates, Manafort hasn’t taken a plea deal. The open question now is whether the experience of jail will change his mind.