US judge lets case against Manafort-linked oligarch stand

CHICAGO – A Chicago federal judge has refused to dismiss bribery charges against a Ukrainian oligarch who prosecutors say had business ties to President Donald Trump’s ex-campaign manager, Paul Manafort.

Her 39-page weekend ruling denies a motion to toss an indictment accusing Dymitro Firtash of a conspiracy to pay bribes in India to mine titanium, used in jet engines.

Austrian officials arrested Firtash in 2014. If its high court rules against the onetime ally of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych at a June 25 hearing, he could be extradited in July.

Firtash denies wrongdoing. He argued the U.S. has no jurisdiction over crimes in India. Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer ruled it did because any scheme would have impacted a Chicago-based company.

Chicago-based Boeing has said it considered business with Firtash but never followed through. It’s not accused of wrongdoing.