The Russia investigation, as led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, is continuing on now that 2018 has dawned, and now there is yet another individual to face charges as a part of that investigation.
Attorney Alex Van Der Zwaan has been charged with making “materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements and representations” to authorities about his communications with former Trump associate Rick Gates and an individual identified only as “Person A” regarding the allegedly politically motivated trial of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Besides allegedly lying about having communicated with Gates about the trial, the attorney also allegedly deleted emails requested by the special counsel’s office rather than hand them over.
Gates, along with former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, completed lobbying work for overseas interests including former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych that, according to past charges against the two of them brought by Mueller’s office, entailed a massive money laundering scheme. Manafort himself orchestrated the creation of a report by Van Der Zwaan’s firm that represented a legal response to criticisms of the Tymoshenko trial.
Gates has been reported in recent days to be prepared to plead guilty and testify against Manafort, who has himself been reported to be facing possible additional charges of bank fraud.
Featured Image via SAUL LOEB/ AFP/ Getty Images
