November 28, 2017
By Richard Esposito and David Voreacos
Manhattan prosecutors (click here) investigating Paul Manafort's New York business activities are scheduling interviews with 10 to 20 of his work associates and lenders, including Stephen Calk, whose Chicago-based bank provided millions of dollars in loans on Manafort family properties.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.'s office has already subpoenaed lenders for documents related to transactions by Manafort, President Donald Trump's onetime campaign chairman, and is proceeding to conduct the interviews, according to a person familiar with the investigation.
Separately, the Manhattan U.S. attorney has recently looked into Calk's bank as part of a probe into whether Manafort may have engaged in mortgage fraud, honest-services fraud and bank fraud, according to another person familiar with that investigation. Manafort is already under federal indictment for money laundering and other charges.
The district attorney's office wants to know how deeply Calk was involved in loans made by Federal Savings Bank, where he is chief executive officer, for Manafort's benefit, the person said. Investigators also want to know if Manafort used the money for the purposes outlined in the loan documents, the person said....
