Manafort guilty: Former Trump campaign manager admits conspiracy and witness tampering as part of likely plea deal

The veteran operative already faces years in jail

Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort has agreed to plead guilty to two criminal counts in the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, according to newly filed court documents.

The 69-year-old had been due to go on trial next week to face seven charges that ranged from encompassing conspiracy, obstruction of justice, money laundering, false statements and violations of a lobbying disclosure law.

Ahead of his scheduled appearance in court on Friday, there were numerous reports the veteran political operative was negotiating with Mr Mueller to avoid a second costly trial. He is already facing eight to 10 years in prison after being convicted last month in Virginia on eight counts of bank and tax fraud and failing to disclose foreign bank accounts relating to $16m (£12m) laundered through shell companies overseas.

There has been intense speculation about the kind of deal Manafort and his legal team have reached with the special counsel; in particular whether Mr Trump’s former campaign manger have agreed to cooperate with Mr Mueller, as several other former members of the Trump campaign have. On Friday, it emerged Mr Mueller had dropped five of the seven charges Manafort had been facing. He also agreed to the forfeiture of some assets, including a home in the Hamptons, a New York City property, a Brooklyn property, and a home in property in Alexandria, Virginia.

In addition, Manafort will forfeit all funds contained in four banking accounts and a life insurance policy.

Last month, when Mr Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance law, he told a court he had ordered to do so by Mr Trump.

If it emerges Manafort has also been “flipped”, it will of intense concern to the president, given that he was present for a crucial part of the former reality television start’s bid for the White House.

In a possible indication of the level of Mr Trump’s concern, while he was quick to mock and poke fun at Cohen - tweeting that he would not recommend anyone hire him as a lawyer, the president has heaped praise on Manafort, telling reporters in West Virginia last month he was a “good man” after a federal jury had found him guilty on eight fraud charges – five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to report a foreign bank account.

The jury said it could not reach a consensus on 10 out of 18 total counts

“It’s a very sad thing that happened. This has nothing to do with Russian collusion,” after the man who headed his campaign at the time of the Republican National Convention and ensured Mr Trump became the party’s presidential candidate.

“This is a witch hunt and it’s a disgrace,” he continued, adding “I feel very badly for Paul Manafort.”

Manafort, his legal team and Mr Mueller and his senior officials are due to meet later on Friday with judge Amy Berman Jackson, who would have to approve any plea deal.

Ahead of the scheduled meeting, it had been reported Manafort was seeking to secure a plea deal that avoided cooperating with the special counsel.

According to the court filing, the change of conspiracy against the United States includes money laundering, tax fraud, failing to disclose his foreign bank accounts, and acting as an unregistered lobbyist for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine, Reuters said.

The second count, for conspiracy to obstruct justice, relates to attempts to tamper with witnesses related to his foreign lobbying.