Photos from Paul Manafort's bank fraud trial shows the $15,000 ostrich coat he allegedly bought with money from his offshore accounts
- Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman for Donald Trump, stands accused of bank fraud, tax fraud, and money laundering. His trial in that case began in Virginia this week.
- According to the prosecution's opening argument, Manafort purchased several luxury goods, including a $15,000 jacket "made from an ostrich."
- The internet appeared to put Manafort on trial for his fashion choices.
Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman for Donald Trump, allegedly spent thousands of dollars on clothing and extravagant fashion accessories, including a $15,000 jacket "made from an ostrich," according to federal prosecutors.
During Manafort's criminal trial on Wednesday, a mens clothier reportedly provided an image of the ostrich jacket Manafort bought through an international wire transfer.
The internet also appeared to put Manafort on trial for his fashion choices after the Department of Justice released images of his clothes.
Federal prosecutors revealed that Manafort made other high-dollar purchases, such as a $21,000 watch and a $2 million house.
Judge T.S. Ellis, who presides over Manafort's case, was reportedly hesitant to release photos of Manafort's clothes, and deliberated about whether it would benefit the trial, according to The Washington Post.
Manafort stands accused of bank and tax fraud for allegedly concealing tens of millions of dollars from his contracted work for a pro-Russian Ukrainian leader. When he stopped receiving payments, he allegedly lied about his income in order to get approved for bank loans in the US.
Manafort is a subject in the special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, but his current trial pertains to his alleged financial crimes. He faces another trial in September on charges he failed to register as a foreign lobbyist.