Paul Manafort (l.) and Rick Gates

Paul Manafort's defense attorney Thomas Zehnle told the jury his team planned to pin all the crimes the government has accused Manafort of on his longtime deputy Rick Gates.

Gates pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and lying to federal investigators in February. Gates was charged with several crimes in the Virginia case, but after his plea, those charges were dropped.

Manafort's "trust in Rick Gates was misplaced," Zehnle said. Gates changed his story over time — to the point of saying anything to the government, he said. And Gates found himself in a legal bind "because he embezzled millions of dollars from his longtime employer" — Manafort, Zehnle said.

This is the first time Manafort's team has revealed its strategy in full. It's a bold move, especially given that Gates could also be a key witness in other pieces of Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election.

The defense also plans to use witnesses prosecutors plan to call to substantiate the idea that it was Gates lying and stealing money.

"He had his hand in the cookie jar," Zehnle said.

Manafort removed his glasses to watch Zehnle deliver his opening defense.