U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III did not hide his frustration with federal prosecutors working to convince a jury that Paul Manafort broke the law when he allegedly tried to avoid paying taxes on millions in income, chastising the government for focusing too much on Manafort’s “lavish lifestyle” and reminding them that living a life of luxury is not a crime.
Throughout the first two days of Manafort’s trial in Alexandria, Va., Ellis scolded the prosecution and pushed back on their requests to present evidence related to Manafort’s pricey tailored suits and expensive home renovations, paid for through wire transfer from foreign bank accounts.
Ellis questioned Tuesday efforts by the government to enter as evidence photos of Manafort’s suits and the label of the high-end men’s store inside them, which prosecutors allege were purchased with money Manafort made — and concealed from the Internal Revenue Service — working in Ukraine.
“Mr. Manafort is not on trial for having a lavish lifestyle,” Ellis said.
He also pushed back on the prosecution’s request to enter as evidence records detailing Manafort’s home renovations.
“Enough is enough,” Ellis said during the trial Wednesday. “We don’t convict people because they have a lot of money and throw it around.”
During one exchange, Ellis reprimanded prosecutor Brandon Van Grack, who asked a contractor hired by Manafort for landscape design to explain what a pergola is.
Ellis told the court the contractor had explained the structure in “exquisite detail” but asked, “What is the virtue of describing it?” He went on to insinuate the question was a waste of the witness’s time.
Ellis has said throughout the first two days of what was expected to be a three-week trial that he wants to move things at a quick pace and has often pushed back on the government’s lawyers as they ask witnesses to read from documents entered as evidence.
His efforts so far seem successful: Assistant U.S. Attorney Uzo Asonye said the prosecution is ahead of schedule and could rest their case next week.
The 12-member jury — six men and six women — heard from eight witnesses on Tuesday, including FBI special agent Matthew Mikuska, who participated in the August 2017 search of Manafort’s condo in Alexandria.
Prosecutors asked Mikuska throughout the morning to describe a host of documents seized during the search, which drew agitation from Ellis.
“He’s not a knowledgeable witness, other than that he was the seizing and searching agent,” Ellis said during Mikuska’s testimony.
They also heard from two witnesses who worked for high-end men’s clothing stores where Manafort shopped.
Maximillian Katzman, whose father owns Alan Couture in New York City, told the court Manafort spent $929,000 on clothing from 2010 to 2014.
Manafort paid for his purchases by wire transfers from foreign bank accounts, Katzman said.
Ronald Wall, the chief financial officer of House of Bijan, a luxury men’s store in Beverly Hills, testified that Manafort spent more than $334,000 there from 2010 to 2012.
Wall, too, said Manafort paid by wire transfers from overseas bank accounts.
[Related: The rise and fall of Paul Manafort]
Additional witnesses include the controller of an Alexandria Mercedes-Benz dealership where Manafort’s wife purchased a vehicle, his real estate agent and friend, a contractor who oversaw home renovations for Manafort, and the contractor who was hired by Manafort to do landscaping.
The real estate agent, Wayne Holland, revealed Manafort purchased a home in Alexandria, Va., for his daughter for $1.9 million.
The contractor, Stephen Jacobson, told the court Manafort paid for more than $3 million of work on multiple properties.
Prosecutors allege Manafort concealed millions of dollars he made working in Ukraine as a political consultant in an effort to dodge taxes. They also say he misled banks when applying for loans after the money from his Ukraine work dwindled.
Manafort faces 18 counts of bank and tax fraud and has pleaded not guilty.
His lawyers have attempted to pin the blame for Manafort’s alleged criminal activity on Rick Gates, Manafort’s longtime business associate.
But Asonye shocked many in the courtroom when he declined to say whether Gates, expected to be the government’s star witness, would testify.
“He may testify, he may not,” he said.
