Mueller defendant cancels planned family trip to Boston

WASHINGTON – A Virginia man who pleaded guilty last week in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation says he no longer plans to take his family on a Boston vacation after “threatening” comments were posted on the Internet.

Rick Gates had asked a judge’s permission to take his children to Boston for spring break to learn about American history and the Revolutionary War.

The request was made the same day Gates admitted guilt in a multi-million-dollar money laundering conspiracy.

In court papers Thursday, Gates says Boston newspapers published stories on his request to visit Boston and “publication of that fact generated comments on the internet, some of which were of a threatening character.”

He says it’s no longer “prudent” to travel there. He asked for, and received, permission to change his itinerary.