Article snippet: ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Defense attorneys in the criminal trial of MORE’s former campaign chairman, claimed the real culprit of fraud is Manafort’s longtime business associate Rick Gates. “Gates had his hand in the cookie jar,” Defense attorney Thomas Zehnle said during his 30-minute opening statement in which he accused Gates of embezzling from his former boss. Zehnle said Manafort put Gates in charges of his business and personal finances while he was half way around the world working on lucrative consulting contracts and Gates took advantage, “lining his own pockets.” Zehnle said Manafort put Gates in charge of his business and personal finances while he was halfway around the world working on lucrative consulting contracts and Gates took advantage, “lining his own pockets.” The remarks came Tuesday during opening statements in the start of the criminal trial against Manafort for bank and tax fraud charges, which stemmed from special counsel MORE’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Though the trial will not mention collusion, it marks the first courtroom trial of Mueller’s probe, which President Trump has lambasted as “witch hunt.” The investigation has led to dozens of indictments, but this is the first case to go to trial. In the courtroom, Zehnle said the government’s own witnesses, including Manafort’s former bookkeeper Amanda Metzler, will testify that it was Gates who was in charge. Zehnle argued that Manafort never intent... Link to the full article to read more