The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday filed suit against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort for around $3 million for failing to timely report his financial interest in foreign accounts. 

In 2018, Manafort pleaded guilty to counts of conspiracy against the US, conspiracy to commit money laundering, tax fraud, failing to file Foreign Bank Account Reports and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, lying to the Department of Justice and witness tampering. He was sentenced to 73 months in prison, but former President Trump pardoned him in December 2020.

On Thursday, the DOJ filed suit against Manafort in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. According to the filing, Manafort failed to report his interest in 22 different foreign accounts on his federal income tax returns for the calendar years 2013 and 2014. These accounts had an aggregate maximum balance in 2013 and 2014 that exceeded $10,000, which meant he was also required to report his interests in a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. He failed to do so. 

According to Manafort’s lawyer Jeff Neiman, Manafort was “aware Government was going to file the suit because he has tried for months to resolve this civil matter. Nonetheless, the Government insisted on filing this suit simply to embarrass Mr. Manafort.” 

The DOJ seeks “to collect outstanding civil penalties” for Manafort’s “willful failure to timely report his financial interest in foreign bank accounts” under 31 USC § 5314. The DOJ also seeks accrued interest on the penalties and late payment penalties under 31 USC § 3717.