From the moment Robert Mueller’s agents raided Paul Manafort’s home early one morning last year, it appeared the man leading the Russia investigation was after one thing - a flipper.

Manafort, Donald Trump’s campaign chairman in the summer of 2016, had been in the inner circle as the team turned its fire from Republican rivals for the presidency to Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate.

He had sat in on the now infamous Trump Tower meeting, arranged after Russian-linked figures offered dirt on Ms Clinton.

He was there when the party changed its stance on Ukraine at the 2016 Republican National Convention, weakening its support for the country's fighters battling Russian-backed rebels.

In Manafort, Mr Mueller, the special counsel investigating allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, had a man at the centre - if only he could get him to talk.

On Friday, Mr Mueller got his wish.

Appearing in a court in Washington DC, the 69-year-old Manafort stood and admitted his guilt to two criminal charges - one for conspiracy against the United States and the other for conspiracy to obstruct justice.