A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday sentenced former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort to an additional 43 months in prison and ordered him to pay $6 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
“It is hard to overstate the number of lies and the amount of fraud and the extraordinary amount of money involved,” U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson told Manafort before sentencing him on conspiracy charges related to his foreign lobbying work and witness tampering.
Wearing a black suit with a white shirt and purple tie, Manafort addressed the courtroom before his sentencing, expressing remorse for his actions. “In my previous elocution, I told Judge Ellis that I was ashamed at my conduct that brought me into his court, and for that, I said I took responsibility,” said Manafort. “Apparently I was not as clear at saying what was in my heart so for you I say to you now that I am sorry for what I have done.”
“Please let my wife and I be together. Please don’t take away any longer than the 47 months,” he added. “She needs me and I need her.”
Last week, a judge in Virginia sentenced Manafort to 47 months in prison for tax and bank fraud, bringing his total sentencing to 7 1/2 years.
The sentencing hearings for Manafort mark a bookend of sorts for special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation as it inches toward a conclusion. Manafort and business associate Rick Gates were among the first of 34 people charged, and though the charges against Manafort weren’t tied to his work on the Trump campaign, his foreign entanglements have made him a subject of intrigue to prosecutors assessing whether the campaign colluded with Russia to sway the outcome of the election.
Wednesday’s sentencing comes in a week of activity for the investigation. Mueller’s prosecutors on Tuesday night updated a judge on the status of cooperation provided by one defendant, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and are expected to do the same later in the week for Gates.
The Mueller team has prosecuted Manafort in Washington and in Virginia related to his foreign consulting work on behalf of a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. Manafort was convicted of bank and tax fraud in the Virginia case and pleaded guilty in Washington to two conspiracy counts, each punishable by up to five years in prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.