Trump's former campaign-manager Paul Manafort gets 47 months in prison
US President Donald Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison yesterday for tax crimes and bank fraud. It was the stiffest sentence yet given to an associate of the president in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling, but significantly lighter than many expected for the 69-year-old political consultant. Read the details here.
Manafort still faces sentencing in a second case in Washington
In a rebuff to Mueller's call for stiff punishment, the federal judge T.S. Ellis called the official guidelines for a prison sentence of 19 to 24 years "excessive." But Manafort still faces sentencing in a second case in Washington next week, where the maximum penalty is 10 years, and the judge has appeared to be more sympathetic towards the prosecutors.
Manafort used offshore bank-accounts to hide money from tax authorities
The charges involved Manafort's work for 10 years on behalf of Moscow-allied politicians in Ukraine, and nothing related to the 2016 election, an issue the campaign chief argued in asking the court for leniency. Prosecutors alleged that Manafort used the offshore bank accounts in Cyprus (country in the Middle East) to hide more than 55 million received from Ukrainian politicians from the tax authorities.
Manafort's deputy Rick Gates' testimony caused much damage to him
Manafort is one of six top advisers and associates of Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign to be charged in the Mueller investigation into Russian election meddling. During Manafort's trial, much of the damaging testimony against him was provided by his former deputy Rick Gates, who is awaiting sentencing after reaching a plea agreement with the Special Counsel's office.
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, awaits sentencing
Besides Manafort and Gates, four other former Trump associates face charges or have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Mueller investigation. Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials and is awaiting sentencing. Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen will also begin serving a three-year prison sentence on May 6.
Cohen has been sentenced for fraud, tax-evasion, illegal campaign contributions
Cohen has been sentenced for fraud, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and lying to Congress. George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and was sentenced two-week prison term. Another Trump advisor, Roger Stone, awaits trial.
