Special counsel Robert Mueller wants to give a form of immunity to five potential witnesses against former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort, according to court papers filed Tuesday.
Mueller did not name the witnesses but said they have not been identified publicly in connection with the case, NBC News reported. He requested that his immunity motions be sealed and remain that way unless they testify, citing the risk of "undue harassment" or "reputational harm" if their identities are disclosed.
The motions he filed seek "use immunity" for the witnesses, which means prosecutors would not be able to employ their testimony against them.
The witnesses are on tap for the first of Manafort's two impending trials — this one in the Eastern District of Virginia on tax evasion and bank fraud charges stemming from his business dealings and lobbying work for Ukrainians.
