Robert Mueller probe nets Trump ex-advisers

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election revealed its first targets on Monday, with a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump admitting he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russians.

Separately, Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and former Manafort business associate Rick Gates were indicted on felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.

The guilty plea by the former adviser, George Papadopoulos, marked the first criminal count that cites interactions between Trump campaign associates and Russian intermediaries during the campaign.

The charges ushered Mueller's sprawling investigation into a new phase with felony charges and possible prison sentences for key members of the Trump campaign.

Trump quickly tweeted that the alleged misdeeds by his former campaign chairman were "years ago", and he insisted there was "NO COLLUSION" between his campaign and Russia.

He added, as he has a number of times recently, "Why aren't Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus?????"

Papadopoulos' plea occurred on October 5 and was unsealed on Monday. In court papers, he admitted lying about the nature of his interactions with "foreign nationals" who he thought had close connections to senior Russian government officials.

Source: Khaleej Times