Federal prosecutors said Thursday they have “every intention” of calling Rick Gates, Paul Manafort’s right-hand man, to testify during Manafort’s trial.
The revelation from prosecutor Greg Andres comes less than 24 hours after another member of the government’s team told the courtroom that Gates may not testify.
Gates is expected to be the star witness of Manafort’s trial, and the possibility of him not appearing shocked the courtroom Wednesday.
Manafort’s lawyers have attempted to blame Gates for attempting to defraud banks and dodge taxes, and have warned the jury he is not to be trusted.
[Also read: Democratic consultant Tad Devine first to take the stand in Manafort trial]
The jury convened Thursday morning for the third day of Manafort’s trial in Alexandria, Va. He is facing 18 counts of tax and bank fraud, and has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors called to the stand first Joel Maxwell, an executive at Big Picture Solutions in Jupiter, Fla. The company provided a number of network services for Manafort’s properties in New York, Virginia and Florida.
Maxwell said Manafort was one of the company’s “top 5” clients, having paid more than $2 million for its services from 2011 to 2014.
According to Maxwell’s testimony, Manafort frequently paid by wire transfers from foreign bank accounts located in Cyprus.
The government alleges Manafort concealed millions of dollars in income made from work for Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and the Party of Regions in an effort to evade taxes.
Maxwell was presented with a series of invoices, including one for $163,000 that purported to come from his company.
But Maxwell said the company’s name, printed on the invoice as “Big Picture Solutions LLC,” was incorrect, as the company is not an limited liability company, or LLC.
He also said the address was wrong, and the description of services was not explained in the manner typically done by his company.
The invoice was to Global Endeavor, a company the government says Manafort created in Cyprus.
The invoice, which prosecutors indicated was falsified, is the third presented in court by the government that appears to be doctored.
The government also entered as evidence Wednesday two invoices — allegedly from Alan Couture and SP&C Home Improvement — that representatives from the companies said did not come from them.
