Three attorneys representing Rick Gates asked to withdraw from the case Thursday.
The legal team submitted a sealed document explaining why they no longer wanted to represent Gates, a business partner of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Manafort and Gates face charges of money laundering, failing to register as foreign agents and more.
This fueled speculation Gates was cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller. CNN reported a prominent white-collar attorney who was seen visiting Mueller's office had joined Gates' defense team.
The two men will likely go on trial sometime in September or later. Mueller's team had requested to start in May but was denied by the judge.
