Paul Manafort was pressured by a former Russian spy to pay back millions of dollars he owed while he was chairing Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, according to an investigation by Time Magazine.
Victor Boyarkin said he contacted Mr Manafort on behalf of Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch with close ties to the Kremlin and the subject of US sanctions since earlier this year, to collect the debt.
"He owed us a lot of money," Mr Boyarkin, a former arms dealer, told Time. "And he was offering ways to pay it back."
The allegations will add to concerns that Kremlin-linked figures had leverage over Mr Manafort during a critical part of the campaign.
Mr Trump’s supporters insist there is no evidence of collusion between his aides and Russia. The president himself repeated his familiar denial on Twitter after the latest allegations were published.
“The Russian Collusion fabrication is the greatest Hoax in the history of American politics,” he wrote. “The only Russian Collusion was with Hillary and the Democrats!”
However, critics point out that connections have surfaced repeatedly as Robert Mueller continues his federal investigation into allegations Moscow attempted to influence the election outcome, and that Russia may have been seeking to capitalise on a mix of oddballs and outsiders attracted to the unorthodox Republican candidate.
Joyce Vance, a former federal prosecutor and lecturer at the University of Alabama School of Law, wrote on Twitter: “The best case for Trump is that he didn’t know Manafort was deeply in debt to and compromised by the Russians when he hired him as campaign manager. If his vetting was that deficient, it’s not in the realm of possibility for him to run the country.”
Mr Manafort is currently in jail awaiting sentencing. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to two charges of conspiracy and witness tampering. He has also admitted other financial and lobbying crimes and could yet face more charges. He declined to comment on the Time article.
Although his crimes are not related to his campaign work, Trump critics suggest that Russian operatives were able to identify and manipulate flaws.
Mr Boyarkin said it was up to him to collect the debt from Mr Manafort. “I came down on him hard,” he claimed.
He also told Time he had been approached by Mr Mueller's investigators but declined to cooperate.
“I told them to go dig a ditch,” he said.
His alleged role in trying to push Russian influence around the world was laid bare in a new list of sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department this month.
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Read more:
Flynn's deep co-operation with prosecutors may spare him jail time
Donald Trump calls for his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen to be jailed
How Donald Trump became 'Individual 1' in Robert Mueller's Russia investigation
Trump’s ex-lawyer pleads guilty to lying over Russia probe to protect president
Paul Manafort lied to FBI and special counsel after striking plea deal
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He was described as a “former GRU [military intelligence] officer who reports directly to Deripaska and has led business negotiations on Deripaska’s behalf”. He was sanctioned for his alleged role in trying to interfere in Montenegro’s parliamentary election in 2016.
That country’s pro-Russia opposition has been accused of trying to assassinate the prime minister as part of an effort to prevent it joining Nato. Russia has denied any involvement and there is no evidence to suggest Mr Boyarkin or Mr Deripaska were involved.
However, that plot has crystallised Western fears about how Moscow is trying to manipulate foreign democracies.
Mr Manafort’s previous work for Mr Deripaska, once Russia’s richest man, is well known. The Associated Press reported last year that from 2006 the American lobbyist had a $10m contract with him to help win positive coverage for Vladimir Putin’s government around the world, although both men said it was purely for business and consulting services.
It later emerged that lawyers for the oligarch had filed a suit against Mr Manafort in the Cayman Islands alleging that he had “simply disappeared” with $19m. A second suit was filed in New York this year accusing Mr Manafort and others of taking $26m.
Mr Manafort resurfaced in April of 2016 when he joined the Trump campaign initially as an unpaid adviser before becoming chairman in June. He joined the campaign almost broke and deeply in debt to Mr Deripaska, according to Time.
At one of the crucial moments, just before Mr Trump accepted the party nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Mr Manafort offered to brief Mr Deripaska on the 2016 race.
“If he needs private briefings we can accommodate,” he wrote in an email sent via an intermediary, his former business associate Konstantin Kilimnik, according to The Washington Post.
Mr Kilimnik referred to an associate with ties to Mr Deripaska as "our friend V", who Time says is Mr Boyarkin.
A spokesman for the Mueller investigation also declined to comment on the reports.
It leaves the Russia investigation still without a smoking gun when it comes to allegations that the Trump campaign coordinated with Moscow. However, it reinforces findings that a slew of Mr Trump’s associated were in touch with Kremlin-connected figures during 2016.
if you go
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
Fight card
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)
Catch 74kg
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)
Strawweight (Female)
Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)
Lightweight
Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Arrab, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mahaleel, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
3.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum handicap (TB) Dh200,000 2,000m; Winner: Dolmen, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Amang Alawda, Sandro Paiva, Bakhit Al Ketbi.
4.15pm: The Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m; Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
4.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: Al Jazi, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Ahmed Raza, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Chirag Suri , Zahoor Khan
Apple product price list
iPad Pro
11" - $799 (64GB)
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MacBook Air
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Mac Mini
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Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Five out of five stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
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Director: Shawn Levy
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
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Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”