US Justice Department Sought Trump Campaign Chair Manafort’s Bank Records

The US Justice Department has sought to obtain bank records of Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, in the probe into Russia’s alleged ties with the campaign, local media reported Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Federal investigators filed the request with Citizens Financial Group, a Rohode Island-based bank, last April, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

Manafort’s financial transactions through Cyprus were also investigated in March by the Treasury Department as part of its anti-corruption inquiry.

The Trump camp came under fire in the United States on suspicion of colluding with Russia during the 2016 election campaign. Last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee asked Manafort and other advisors to President Trump to turn over their communications with Russian officials and businesspeople.

Russia has denied US claims it meddled in the election process, calling them absurd. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier Moscow did not have official contacts with Trump's team during the presidential campaign.