Former U.S. President Donald Trump campaign aide Rick Gates arrives for a status conference at U.S. District Court following his indictment on tax fraud and money laundering charges in the special counsel's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election in Washington, U.S. November 2, 2017. REUTERS/James Lawler Duggan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A longtime associate of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort has hired a new team of lawyers to defend himself against charges brought in a probe looking at alleged Russian interference in the U.S. election, a spokesman said on Thursday.

Richard Gates and Manafort were charged with money laundering, conspiracy against the United States and other counts earlier this week as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of alleged Russia interference.

Gates and Manafort have pleaded not guilty in the case. Gates hired a new legal team comprised of attorney Walter Mack of the law firm of Doar Rieck Kaley and Mack in New York and attorney Shan Wu of Wu, Grohovsky and Whipple in Washington, his spokesman said in a statement.