li it's been dubbed limasolgrad. banking sources with direct knowledge of the transactions tell nbc news 15 accounts were open for 10 companies all linked to manafort. in one case a million dollars landed in one of the accounts and left it on the same day. >> movements of large amounts of money quickly in and out of account is very similar to what money launderers do. >> reporter: 18$18.9 million to buy a media company described as one of two oligarchs putin turns to on a regular base. some of that money went to a manafort linked company in cyprus. he hired manafort to help the putin government, calling it fake news. but eventually, even in cyprus, manafort's accounts raised suspicions. the internal auditing system flagged the accounts for possible money laundering according to the banking sources that said when he asked for more information, manafort chose to close the accounts without answering the questions. late today a spokesman for paul manafort sent a statement saying they were legitimate entities, adding he h

the city has attracted so many russians, in fact, it's been been dubbed limasolgrad.e of the money manafort got went. banking sources with direct knowledge of the transactions tell nbc news at least 15 accounts were opened here for more than ten companies, all linked to manafort. the sources say that inspect one case a million dollars landed in one of these accounts and left it on the same day. >> movements of large amounts of money very quickly in and out of an account is very similar to what money launderers do. >> and there was a lot of mon involved, including $18.9 million to buy a ukrainian media company for oleg daraposka who was one of two to three oligarchs putin turns to on a regular basis. documents show some of that money went to a manafort-linked company in cyprus. he took out an ad in national newspapers denying the associated press report that he hired manafort to help the putin government, calling it fake news. but eventually even in cyprus manafort's accounts raised suspicions. in 2012 the internal auditing system at laiki bank flagged some of the acco