Rick Gates, the longtime business partner of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, has
decided to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors, ending weeks of speculation about his fate and highlighting what has long remained true: Gates and Manafort are in deep trouble, and that is a big problem for President Donald Trump.
The
New York Times reported Friday morning that Gates will plead guilty as soon as Friday afternoon. A criminal information document
filed in Washington on Friday indicates Gates will divulge what he knows to Robert Mueller’s team. Gates, along with Manafort, was
indicted in October on charges related to money laundering, fraud, and unregistered foreign lobbying. A superseding
indictment unveiled Thursday added tax evasion and bank fraud charges.