NY publicist corroborates Manafort indictment: 'Exactly what they told me to do'

The CEO of a prominent New York public relations firm revealed Wednesday that Paul Manafort sought to hire his company "exactly" as detailed in special counsel's Robert Mueller indictment of the former Donald Trump campaign chairman.

Ronn Torossian of 5WPR toldBusiness Insider that Paul Manafort and Rick Gates attempted to hire his firm in 2012. Torossian's firm had represented Trump Organization adviser Felix Sater and Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov.

Torossian did not end up working for Manafort because of requested evasion of registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

"We discussed how to get around filing FARA and I was uncomfortable at that point," Torossian reveled. "They also asked if I had a problem being paid from offshore accounts."

"They said they made way more money offshore than in the US," Torossian revealed.

Torossian claimed allegations in the Mueller indictments are "exactly what they told me to do."

The relevant allegations are detailed in paragraphs 22 and 23 of the indictment, involving two companies that have been identified in press accounts as The Podesta Group and Mercury Public Affairs, who engaged in "extensive lobbying" directed by Manafort and Gates, did not file as foreign agents and were paid solely though off-shore accounts.