Judge: Paul Manafort must keep his ankle monitor on

Paul Manafort, a lobbyist for some of the most brutal and corrupt dictators in modern history, was indicted last week on money laundering charges. As a holder of three different US passports, he is considered a flight risk, and has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor at all times. One of Manafort's many lawyers complained to the court that Manafort dislikes wearing the ankle monitor and shouldn't have to suffer the indignity of having to wear it, but a federal judge ruled against the request, saying Manafort remains in the High Intensity Supervision Program, reserved for high safety or appearance risks who need an increased level of supervision through weekly contact, drug testing, and/or location monitoring.

From New York Mag:

Since Special Counsel Robert Mueller announced the indictment of the former chairman of Donald Trumps presidential campaign last week, hes been confined to house arrest. Manafort along with his proteg Rick Gates pleaded not guilty to crimes relating to funneling millions of dollars earned lobbying for foreign powers through shell companies.

Their trial isnt set to begin until May 2018, but cabin fever is already setting in. Over the weekend, Manaforts attorney, Kevin Downing, filed a motion in the United States District Court in Washington D.C. requesting bail and offering up several homes, including his Trump Tower condo, as collateral. Downing argued that Manafort isnt a flight risk, in part, because his offshore accounts dont have much money in them, and the majority of his assets are in the U.S. He added that despite his characterizations in the media, Manafort isnt a 68-year-old Jason Bourne character.

Image: Manafort: Flickr, A barricade burning outside the headquarters of the internal defence forces in Lviv, caused by mass protests: Wikipedia/Aeou