Summary: Stephen K. Bannon, a former adviser to President Trump, is quoted that special counsel Robert S. Mueller's investigation is not focused on proving collusion with the Russians, but in uncovering evidence of money laundering by President Trump's family and aids. Mueller hired a man named Andrew Weissmann who has previously investigated money laundering crimes, and one of the first charges filed was on Paul Manafort.
According to the article, "with any money laundering, you're trying to make the illegally acquired finances look legitimate."Fake real estate deals are a common way of making "dirty" money appear "clean." Both President Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are famous for their real estate investments.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/01/04/how-money-laundering-works-in-real-estate/?utm_term=.f1809941d46b
Analysis: If the article is correct, this wouldn't be the first time the FBI has attempted to get a conviction of a powerful man on money laundering charges. The movie "The Untouchables" is about an FBI agent named Elliot Ness who successfully charged the infamous gangster, Al Capone, with tax invasion and money laundering. He chose to pursue the financial charges instead of Capone's more violent crimes because they would be easier to prove. I wonder if this could be Mueller's thought process as well.
The Untouchables: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094226/
The Untouchables: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094226/
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