Who is Paul Manafort? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Paul John Manafort Jr.

Age: 75 Years, 75 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Kathleen Manafort (m. 1978)

father: Paul J. Manafort Sr.

mother: Antoinette Marie Manafort

children: Andrea Manafort, Jess Bond

Born Country: United States

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More Facts

education: Georgetown University, Georgetown University Law Center

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1

Where is Paul Manafort now?

Paul Manafort is currently serving a federal prison sentence at FCI Loretto in Pennsylvania.
2

What charges was Paul Manafort convicted of?

Paul Manafort was convicted on charges including tax evasion, bank fraud, and failure to disclose foreign lobbying activities.
3

When did Paul Manafort begin working on Donald Trump's presidential campaign?

Paul Manafort joined Donald Trump's presidential campaign in March 2016 and served as campaign chairman.
4

What is Paul Manafort's connection to Ukraine?

Paul Manafort worked as a political consultant for pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine, including former President Viktor Yanukovych.
5

How did Paul Manafort's legal troubles begin?

Paul Manafort's legal troubles began with investigations into his lobbying work in Ukraine and his financial dealings.

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Childhood & Early Life

Paul Manafort was born Paul John Manafort Jr., on April 1, 1949, in New Britain, Connecticut, U.S.A., to Antoinette Mary Manafort (nee Cifalu) and Paul John Manafort Sr.

His father served as a combat engineer in the ‘U.S. Army’ during World War II and as the mayor of New Britain between 1965 and 1971.

Manafort graduated from the ‘St. Thomas Aquinas High School,’ New Britain. In 1971, he earned his BS in business administration from ‘Georgetown University,’ Washington, D.C., U.S. Three years later, he received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the same university.

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As an International Lobbyist

Before he ventured into a career as a lobbyist, Paul Manafort worked as a lawyer with a Washington, D.C. law firm named ‘Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP’ from 1977 to 1980.

Paul Manafort co-founded the lobbying firm ‘Black, Manafort & Stone’ in 1980, with partners Charles R. Black Jr. and Roger J. Stone. The company was one of the first political advisory organizations that worked with Ronald Reagan during his presidential campaign in 1980.

After they recruited Peter G. Kelly in 1984, the company was renamed ‘Black, Manafort, Stone & Kelly’ (BMSK).

‘BMSK’ signed a contract worth $600,000 with Jonas Savimbi, the leader of the rebel Angolan organization ‘National Union for the Total Independence of Angola.’ The firm was able to convince the ‘U.S. Congress’ to fund Savimbi’s anti-communist and anti-Soviet agenda covertly. It is believed that due to Manafort’s influence, Savimbi continued to receive funding even after the Soviet Union broke up.

Between June 1984 and June 1986, he worked as a ‘Foreign Agents Registration Act’ (FARA)-approved lobbyist for Saudi Arabia. During this period, his company also signed an annual contract worth $950,000 with the ‘The Chamber of Philippine Manufacturers, Exporters and Tourism Associations.’

In 1989, he began lobbying for Mobutu Sese Seko, the then-president of Zaire, after signing an annual agreement worth $1 million. Two years later, his firm signed a deal of the same value with Nigeria.

Between 1990 and 1994, Paul Manafort was paid $700,000 by the ‘Kashmiri American Cultural Association,’ which was funded by ‘Inter-Services Intelligence,’ Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency.

From 1991 to 1993, his firm earned between $660,000 and $750,000 annually by lobbying for the governments of Kenya, the Dominican Republic, and Equatorial Guinea.

Manafort’s services to Édouard Balladur, a French politician, in 1995 linked him to the “Karachi Affair,” also known as the “Agosto Submarine Scandal.’

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In 1996, Paul Manafort resigned from the ‘BMSK’ and partnered with Richard H. Davis and Mathew C. Freedman to establish the lobbying organization ‘Davis, Manafort & Freedman Inc.’

In late 2003 and early 2004, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska met some known contacts of Manafort to further his cause in the U.S. Soon, Oleg hired Manafort to take his political interests forward in Georgia. However, Oleg later withdrew his plans for Georgia.

Oleg sought Manafort’s services to support Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, who later fled to Monaco after being accused of murder. Before Rinat fled, Manafort had arranged for Rinat’s meeting with a few high-flying politicians in Washington, D.C.

Also, Oleg hired Paul Manafort to work with Ukrainian politician Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort worked as an advisor for Victor’s presidential campaign between December 2004 and February 2010. Following this, Viktor won the elections and became the president of Ukraine. According to Ukrainian authorities, Manafort had traveled to Ukraine from time to time, until 2015.

Reportedly, between 2010 and 2014, Paul Manafort had received payments amounting to $60 million from Rinat. According to a reliable news portal, he shut down his office in Ukraine in May 2016.

In 2017, he lobbied on behalf of the governments of China, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and Kurdistan, an autonomous region in Iraq.

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Presidential Clients

In 1976, Paul Manafort worked with the team of Gerald Ford, the then-president of the United States of America.

From 1978 to 1980, Paul Manafort worked with Ronald Reagan’s presidential election campaign team. After Reagan won the elections, Manafort was made the associate director of the ‘White House Presidential Personnel Office.’

He was appointed to the board of directors of the ‘Overseas Private Investment Corporation,’ which merged with another organization to form what is presently known as the ‘U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.’

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He served as a consultant to George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole during their presidential election campaigns of 1988 and 1996, respectively.

In early 2016, he was hired by Donald Trump to help him with his presidential campaign. On June 20, 2016, he was promoted to the post of campaign manager. As the depth of his past links with Russia and Ukraine came to light, his role was curtailed by Trump. Manafort later resigned from the post.

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Legal Issues

Paul Manafort was sharply criticized in the wake of the scandal involving the ‘United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.’

As of 2014, he was already under investigation by several agencies, including the ‘Federal Bureau of Investigation,’ the ‘National Security Agency’ and the ‘Central Intelligence Agency.’

Manafort’s name frequently appeared in the 2016 report called the ‘Trump-Russia Dossier,’ which detailed his relationship with Russian and Ukrainian politicians and oligarchs. This dossier led to ‘Special Counsel’ investigations. Manafort and other Trump associates and their links with the Russian government came under the scanner. The investigation was overseen by special prosecutor Robert Mueller.

Based on the findings, Manafort was indicted in the ‘United States District Court for the District of Columbia’ on October 27, 2017. He was charged with engaging in a conspiracy against the U.S., money laundering, violation of the ‘FARA,’ and making false claims and statements.

He was indicted on new accusations of tax and bank fraud in Virginia in the ‘U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia’ on February 22, 2018.

He was charged with witness tampering and perversion of justice on June 8, 2018.

On June 15, 2018, he was booked into the ‘Northern Neck Regional Jail’ in Warsaw, Virginia.

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On July 31, 2018, his trial in Virginia began, and on August 21, 2018, he was found guilty of eight of the 18 charges leveled against him. He was sentenced to 47 months in prison.

The trial in District of Columbia started on September 21, 2018. On March 13, 2019, he was sentenced to 73 months in jail.

The same day, he was indicted for 16 charges of mortgage fraud by the ‘Manhattan District Attorney.’ However, these charges were dropped by the ‘New York County Supreme Court’ on December 18, 2019.

Due to his failing health and the fear of COVID-19, he was released on May 13, 2020, and sent to home confinement.

Family & Personal Life

Paul Manafort married Kathleen Bond Manafort on August 12, 1978. The following year, she graduated with a BBA from the ‘George Washington University,’ Washington, D.C. Like her husband, she is also a Doctor of Jurisprudence. In 1988, she cleared her ‘Virginia Bar Exam.’

They have two daughters, Jessica and Andrea.

Reportedly, he owned quite a few premium real-estate properties between 2006 and 2012. These purchases are still being investigated.

Before his disbarment hearing, he resigned from the Connecticut bar and surrendered his right to seek readmission.

Facts About Paul Manafort

Paul Manafort has a passion for collecting expensive and exotic ostrich jackets, which have gained attention for their unique style and high price tags.

In addition to his political work, Manafort has also been involved in real estate ventures, including owning properties in Florida and New York.

Manafort is known for his love of fine dining and has been spotted dining at some of the most exclusive restaurants around the world.

Despite his legal troubles, Manafort has a reputation for being a skilled political strategist and has worked on numerous successful campaigns throughout his career.

Manafort is an avid art collector and has a diverse collection that includes pieces from renowned artists such as Andy Warhol and Willem de Kooning.

Paul Manafort Biography

You wanted to know

Where is Paul Manafort now?

What charges was Paul Manafort convicted of?

When did Paul Manafort begin working on Donald Trump's presidential campaign?

What is Paul Manafort's connection to Ukraine?

How did Paul Manafort's legal troubles begin?