Former Trump Campaign Manager Pleads Not Guilty in Trump-Russia Inquiry

Washington, October 31 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and a business associate, Rick Gates, pleaded not guilty to an indictment for money laundering, tax evasion, failure to register as agents for foreign interests and conspiracy to defraud the US government.

A federal judge ordered Manafort and Gates to be confined at home and set bail at 10 million dollars for Manafort and 5 million for Gates.

The indictments were the first issued by Robert Mueller since he was appointed special counsel in May, with broad powers to investigate an alleged Russian interference in last year's election and possible contacts between Moscow and the Trump team.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday described as “fantasies” allegations of Moscow’s meddling in elections in the US. The minister was speaking at a briefing at the Association of European Businesses in Russia.

Moscow is being accused of such meddling “without a single piece of proof,” Lavrov said, according to TASS news agency.