Mueller is drilling into Manafort's past — and it could spell trouble for Trump

Revelations that special counsel Robert Mueller is looking for evidence of possible crimes committed as far back as January 2006 as part of his investigation into former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shed new light on Mueller's objectives.

CNN reported on Tuesday that when FBI agents conducted a predawn raid of Manafort's home in July, their warrant said the investigation was focusing on criminal conduct that could have happened more than a decade ago.

Mueller's investigation into Manafort focuses primarily on his business dealings and his work for Ukraine's pro-Russia Party of Regions. Manafort is connected to the party through his time serving as a top consultant for Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, whom he started working for in 2004.

On Monday, CNN reported that US investigators obtained a warrant to wiretap Manafort before and after the election.

Theres a lot Mueller could unpack

It's hard to tell what Mueller has on Manafort, "but they absolutely have something because they got a search warrant," said Joseph Pelcher, a former FBI counterintelligence agent who was stationed in Russia and specialized in organized crime. "You need probable cause to get a search warrant, so there is something there, without question."

"If I were investigating the case, the first thing I would do is sit Manafort down and get him to cooperate, because he's not the big fish here," Pelcher added.

Trump, who is a focus in at least one thread of Mueller's investigation.

The special counsel is reportedly building an obstruction-of-justice case against the president in the wake of his decision to fire former FBI director James Comey in May. At the time, Comey was spearheading the FBI'sinvestigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded withRussia.

Though the White House initially said Comey was fired because of his handling of the Clinton email investigation, Trump later told NBC's Lester Holt that "this Russia thing" had been a factor in his decision.

Mueller is also scrutinizing Trump's role in crafting a misleading statement his son, Donald Trump Jr., issued in response to revelations that he met with a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Hillary Clinton at Trump Tower last June. Manafort was present at the meeting, as was Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

If Mueller believes Trump did something wrong, his laser focus on Manafort is likely an attempt to "bargain for whatever information he might have," said Pelcher.

The special counsel's efforts will likely be bolstered by certain members of his team, like Andrew Weissman, a veteran federal prosecutor who specializes in persuading witnesses to flip on friends, family, and colleagues. Mueller also recently added Kyle Freeny, a DOJ prosecutor with an expertise in financial crimes, to his investigative team.

Even if the former campaign chairman doesn't have incriminating evidence against Trump, Manafort could still possess a trove of other valuable information.

If Manafort was in touch with the Russians during the campaign, Mueller can press him for information about how they operated, who they were in contact with, what channels they used, and more. "There's a lot Mueller could unpack there, even from an intelligence angle," Pelcher said.

Mueller is drilling into Manafort's past — and it could spell trouble for Trump

Theres a lot Mueller could unpack

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