On Friday, a judge said she could no longer “turn a blind eye” to accusations by prosecutors that Paul Manafort tampered with evidence and sentenced him to jail. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson revoked the former Donald Trump campaign manager’s house arrest and said “she had no choice but to remand him into custody,” Common Dreams reported.
“You have abused the trust placed in you six months ago,” Jackson said. “This isn’t middle school, I can’t take your phone.”
Greg Andres, an attorney on Robert Mueller’s investigation, argued that Manafort has been “foldering” – an act that gives multiple people access to the same email account where emails are created as drafts, but never sent, which means it cannot be intercepted and can be destroyed, Mother Jones reported. Andres said that this is a sure way to “hide the fact that you’re sharing information.”
“There is a history of deception on behalf of Mr. Manafort in this case,” Andres said to the court.
Manafort is under investigation for his alleged role with Russia’s possible meddling in the 2016 presidential election along with conspiracy to launder money and defraud the U.S., which he has plead not guilty to, Reuters reported.
“I have no appetite for this,” Judge Jackson said. “But in the end, I cannot turn a blind eye.”
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