(Bloomberg) -- Former Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort and his co-defendant in a money-laundering prosecution, Rick Gates, won't be allowed to travel internationally even under revised bail terms, a federal judge said.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington said at a hearing Monday that she is prepared to revise the release conditions for Manafort, 68, and Gates, 45, once prosecutors better understand the assets the men can pledge to secure their freedom.
"We're getting close," Greg Andres, one of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors said in court. "We're going to continue to have those discussions today."
Citing the nature of the allegations and long prospective sentences if convicted, the prosecutors have said both men are flight risks.
Indicted Oct. 27, the men face a total of 12 felony charges that could send Manafort to prison for 15 years and Gates for as many as 12 1/2. Both pleaded not guilty at their arraignment a week ago, after which they were confined to their Virginia homes with electronic monitoring. They're allowed to leave only to meet with lawyers, appear in court, see doctors or for religious observance.
Manafort would owe $10 million if he violated those terms, while for Gates the sum would be $5 million. Each has now asked Jackson to loosen the conditions. She said she was willing to do so, but only with terms adequate to assure their appearance at future proceedings.
Manafort's lawyer Kevin Downing had argued in court papers that the government's contention his client poses a serious flight risk is “imagined” and completely ignores his strong family ties.
Though Jackson suggested the trial could start May 7, she held off Monday on setting any date to allow the defense to review potential evidence. The judge set a follow-up conference for Dec. 11.
The case is U.S. v. Manafort, 17-cv-201, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).
To contact the reporters on this story: David McLaughlin in Washington at dmclaughlin9@bloomberg.net, Andrew Harris in Washington at aharris16@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Schneider at jschneider5@bloomberg.net, Andrew Martin
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