This is a cite from an extremely accomplished Law Firm regarding how broad that statute is:
“Under this statute, to “defraud” the United States means:
Obstructing or impairing the efficiency of any department of the government, to destroy its operation and reports as fair, impartial, and reasonably accurate; and
Cheating the government out of money or property”.
I don’t like it, but that is the extent of the statute.
Thanks. Interesting and disgusting, at the same time. Once again, the Feds granting themselves a law that they can use against the people, when they have nothing else.
But, as opened ended and interpretive as that statute is, there’s an equal number of defenses to it. The first of which being, what Manafort is going to use, initially, who else has ever been charged, prosecuted and convicted of these charges, on his original charges. His fraud charges are another story, BTW.