Who is Paul Manafort?

Paul Manafort, Donald Trump‘s former aide, was allegedly removed from a flight for carrying a revoked passport, Associated Press reported, quoting officials. 

Manafort was headed to Dubai on an Emirates Airline flight on Sunday night when he was removed from the plane at Miami International Airport before it took off, Miami Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta told AP. 

Who is Paul Manafort?

The 72-year-old led the former President’s campaign for several months during the 2016 presidential race.

He was, however, ousted in August 2016 after information about his business dealings in Ukraine was revealed. 

As part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Manafort was indicted on a broad array of financial crimes. In August 2018, he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. 

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Two years later, he was released from a low-security prison amid concerns about the coronavirus.

Although he had not served long enough to be eligible for release under the guidelines, the Bureau of Prisons decided to free him because of his age and health vulnerabilities, a person familiar with the matter has said.

In December 2020, Trump gave him a “full and complete” pardon.

“As a result of blatant prosecutorial overreach, Mr. Manafort has endured years of unfair treatment and is one of the most prominent victims of what has been revealed to be perhaps the greatest witch hunt in American history,” the White House press secretary said in a statement announcing the pardon.

Manafort had reacted saying, “Mr President, my family & I humbly thank you for the Presidential Pardon you bestowed on me. Words cannot fully convey how grateful we are.”