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An accountant for Paul Manafort told jurors Friday she believed his tax returns contained inaccurate information and falsely reduced his tax liability by classifying millions of dollars she believed was income as loans.
The accountant, Cindy Laporta, said manipulating tax returns in such a way was “inappropriate” and that she knew it was wrong, but did it because Manafort was a longtime client of her firm. “I prepared the tax returns and communicated with banks based on information that [Richard] Gates and Manafort provided to me that I didn’t believe,” said Laporta, who testified under immunity.
This testimony is on top of witnesses who said Manafort had presented false invoices:
The witnesses have also all testified that Manafort paid them with overseas wire transfers, mostly from accounts in Cyprus — accounts that his bookkeeper and accountant testified Thursday they didn't know about.
"The funds used to pay the vendors came directly from the unreported foreign bank accounts where Manafort deposited his foreign consulting income," prosecutors wrote in their Wednesday filing. "Manafort's practice of paying his vendors directly with his offshore funds was designed to hide the underlying income from his bookkeepers and return preparers, and ultimately the IRS."
Many of the witnesses work for vendors who over the years provided luxury goods and services to the Manafort family, including designer suits, Land Rovers and home improvements.
All said they were paid by Manafort through international wire transfers, a method of payment they agreed was unusual.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/manafort-trial-accountant-admits-she-falsified-tax-return-at-his-request-2018-08-04
https://www.npr.org/2018/08/02/634775596/manafort-trial-prosecutors-detail-spending-on-luxuries-purchased-with-offshore-f
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-manafort/ukraine-in-focus-as-manafort-trial-in-u-s-heads-to-second-day-idUSKBN1KM3QE
The accountant, Cindy Laporta, said manipulating tax returns in such a way was “inappropriate” and that she knew it was wrong, but did it because Manafort was a longtime client of her firm. “I prepared the tax returns and communicated with banks based on information that [Richard] Gates and Manafort provided to me that I didn’t believe,” said Laporta, who testified under immunity.
This testimony is on top of witnesses who said Manafort had presented false invoices:
Prosecutors then displayed a copy of an invoice on the screen that was different from the others Jacobsen had sent Manafort over the years.
It contained an imprint of his company’s logo but billed for architectural services and listed as the client a company called Global Endeavor, which court records say is tied to Manafort.
“That is not a bill from my company,” he testified, adding that Global Endeavor was never a client nor did his firm provide architectural services.
Katzman provided similar testimony about two invoices he was shown by prosecutors that contained small mistakes in the spelling of Alan Couture’s name and address.
“There are errors again with our company name and zip code,” he said.
It contained an imprint of his company’s logo but billed for architectural services and listed as the client a company called Global Endeavor, which court records say is tied to Manafort.
“That is not a bill from my company,” he testified, adding that Global Endeavor was never a client nor did his firm provide architectural services.
Katzman provided similar testimony about two invoices he was shown by prosecutors that contained small mistakes in the spelling of Alan Couture’s name and address.
“There are errors again with our company name and zip code,” he said.
The witnesses have also all testified that Manafort paid them with overseas wire transfers, mostly from accounts in Cyprus — accounts that his bookkeeper and accountant testified Thursday they didn't know about.
"The funds used to pay the vendors came directly from the unreported foreign bank accounts where Manafort deposited his foreign consulting income," prosecutors wrote in their Wednesday filing. "Manafort's practice of paying his vendors directly with his offshore funds was designed to hide the underlying income from his bookkeepers and return preparers, and ultimately the IRS."
Phillip Ayliff, Manafort's longtime tax accountant, also testified Thursday and said he too did not know about the foreign accounts, although he said Manafort was provided an outlet to disclose them.
"We asked the question and the response was no," Ayliff said.
"We asked the question and the response was no," Ayliff said.
Many of the witnesses work for vendors who over the years provided luxury goods and services to the Manafort family, including designer suits, Land Rovers and home improvements.
All said they were paid by Manafort through international wire transfers, a method of payment they agreed was unusual.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/manafort-trial-accountant-admits-she-falsified-tax-return-at-his-request-2018-08-04
https://www.npr.org/2018/08/02/634775596/manafort-trial-prosecutors-detail-spending-on-luxuries-purchased-with-offshore-f
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-manafort/ukraine-in-focus-as-manafort-trial-in-u-s-heads-to-second-day-idUSKBN1KM3QE
