- The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 1, 2018

An FBI agent who raided Paul Manafort’s condo last year said Wednesday that agents seized financial documents detailing $3 million in wire transfers and $750,000 in home improvement loans.

Special Agent Mathew Mikuska testified on behalf of the prosecution in the criminal trial of Mr. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman who is accused of bank and tax fraud.

The documents were introduced as evidence as prosecutors begin to show jurors a complicated array of financial dealings they say Mr. Manafort used to hide income from the IRS that he made overseas.

All told, the home improvement loans covered three properties owned by Mr. Manafort in Brooklyn, the Hamptons and Florida.

Mr. Mikuska also said the warrant, served on Mr. Manafort’s Alexandra, Virginia condo, was a no-knock warrant, meaning the FBI could barge in, but must have a resident allow them to enter. He said they knocked three times and identified themselves as FBI, but no one answered.

The agent said they eventually opened the door with a key, but could not say where the key had come from.

Also on Wednesday, political strategist Daniel Rabin testified about the work in Ukraine he did with Mr. Manafort.

Mr. Rabin said he dealt with Rick Gates, a former business associate of Mr. Manafort.

“Rick Gates was the gatekeeper,” Mr. Rabin said. “We didn’t want to bother Paul with schedules and invoices.”

On Tuesday, Mr. Manafort’s attorneys alleged Mr. Gates of embezzled from their client and actually committed the financial fraud that Mr. Manafort stands accused of.

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.

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