Paul Manafort, who once headed President Donald Trump's campaign, pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy charges and has agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller under a new plea deal.
The crimes that Manafort, 69, admitted to in U.S. District Court in Washington relate to consulting work and money earned from that work on behalf of pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine.
That work predated the veteran Republican operative's tenure on the Trump campaign.
Manafort, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and purple tie, admitted guilt to revised charges of just two counts of conspiracy, and will resolve the two pending criminal cases against him in Washington and in Virginia federal courts.
Manafort was convicted last month in the Virginia case of bank fraud and tax crimes, which also was connected to his work in Ukraine.
He had been scheduled to begin jury selection for his second trial in Washington on Monday for charges that included money laundering, failing to register as an agent of a foreign government and witness tampering.
Friday's plea deal resolves both cases, and substantially winnows down the more than 20 criminal counts that Manafort either still faced or had already been convicted of.
Manafort has been held without bond in jail since June after being charged with trying to influence witnesses against him.
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