Paul Manafort, the one-time chairman for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, said in an email exchanged with a former employee that he was willing to meet with a Russian billionaire to give him “private briefings,” according to a story from The Associated Press.
Manafort offered to meet with Oleg Deripaska, a close friend and financial backer of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The offer was made in July 2016 while Manafort was Trump’s campaign chair.
According to a spokesman for Manafort, no briefings ever occurred.
Who is Deripaska and what is his connection to Manafort? Here are some quick facts about Deripaska.
- Deripaska is one of Russia's wealthiest men. He heads Basic Element, an aluminum firm. His net worth is estimated at $6.6 billion.
- He is a friend of Putin. He has worked with Putin on many projects, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics is one.
- Manafort did investment consulting work for Deripaska. Three years ago, Deripaska accused Manafort of failing to account for or return $19 million he paid him to invest, according to The Washington Post.
- In 2008, Deripaska met with Sen. John McCain. McCain was running for president at the time. The meeting was arranged by Manafort's business partner, Rick Davis, according to the Washington Post.
- The Wall Street Journal reported that he may have ties to organized crime in Russia, making it difficult for him to travel in the United States.
About the Author
The Latest
