No, the Manafort-trial will not make or break Mueller's investigation.

[DetlefK]

Manafort is on trial for 4 counts of tax-fraud (tax-evasion) and 14 counts of bank-fraud (lying on banking-statements).

Manafort's trial does not in any way connect to the Trump-campaign or Russia. It's exclusively about his past business-deals.

Additionally, Manafort is not being prosecuted by Mueller: Mueller handed this case over to the AG of NY.





This case has no connection to Trump and Russia, except for putting pressure on Manafort to cooperate.

If Manafort is found guilty, that means nothing for Trump, because it has nothing to do with collusion.

If Manafort is found not guilty, that means nothing for Mueller, because it's not his case anyways and not what he's investigating anyways.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. It will be a moral victory or loss, however.

If he's convicted, the fact that Trump's former campaign manager has been convicted and sentenced to what would probably be a lengthy prison sentence will weigh over Trump heavily.

If he's acquitted, Trump will no doubt crow about it heavily over the Tweet machine.

If it's a hung jury....well, who knows.

[unc70]

2. Not prosecuted by AG of NY

Manafort is being prosecuted by Federal prosecutors in VA and in DC. Nothing to do with the AG of NY.

Cohen is being investigated by the Federal Southern District of NY. While there might be investigations by NY authorities, they are not public. Several associates of Cohen have been targets of recent NY investigations.