Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort sentenced to jail for tax fraud
Paul Manafort will be sentenced again next week in another case brought by Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian collusion.
Friday 8 March 2019 06:32, UK
Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been sentenced to 47 months in prison after being convicted of tax and bank fraud.
The 69-year-old was sentenced at a court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday by Judge TS Ellis III, following his conviction in August last year.
He had been behind bars while he waited to find out the extent of his punishment, which his lawyers said had placed him under mental and physical strain.
Manafort appeared in court in a wheelchair and had notably greyer hair, as he told the judge that "my life, personally and professionally, is in shambles".
The court heard that Manafort hid $16m (£12m) from US tax authorities - money he earned as a political consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine and used to fund an opulent lifestyle.
Among his purchases were luxurious homes, designer suits and even a $15,000 (£11,462) ostrich-skin jacket.
Later, when his lobbying work started to dry up after the ousting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, prosecutors said Manafort began lying to banks to secure $20m (£15m) in loans to keep his lifestyle afloat.
Prosecutors said the work in Ukraine was on behalf of politicians closely aligned with Russia, but Manafort insisted his work helped the politicians move closer to the West.
After deliberating for almost four days last summer, a jury found Manafort guilty on two counts of bank fraud, five counts of tax fraud and one charge of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts.
During sentencing, the judge said the Republican political consultant should not receive credit for accepting responsibility for his crimes, adding: "I was surprised I did not hear you express regret for engaging in wrongful conduct."
None of the charges Manafort faced related directly to alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election or alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which is being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Mr Mueller had recommended a far longer jail term for Manafort and prosecutors said they would push for between 19-and-a-half and 24 years in prison, but the judge said those guidelines were "unwarranted".
Manafort, who the president said had fallen victim to a "witch hunt" upon his "disgraceful" conviction last year, was also fined $50,000 (£38,209) and ordered to pay restitution of just over $24m (£18.4m).
He is due to be sentenced again next Wednesday in another case brought by Mr Mueller in Washington DC, this time for two counts of conspiracy against the US and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Manafort pleaded guilty to both charges and also agreed to co-operate with the special counsel inquiry in the hope of being handed a lighter sentence.
But the plea deal fell apart after investigators found he had repeatedly lied to the government and he now faces up to a decade in jail, which could run consecutively or concurrently with the tax and bank fraud sentence.
Other Trump advisers to have been arrested and charged since the president took office just over two years ago include former national security adviser Michael Flynn, ex-lawyer Michael Cohen, political consultant Rick Gates, former campaign aide George Papadopoulos, and Roger Stone.
Hours before the sentencing of Manafort, it emerged that Cohen was suing The Trump Organisation for allegedly failing to cover legal fees and costs he incurred while he worked there.
Cohen - who last week told Congress Mr Trump was a "racist" and a "conman" - is due to begin a jail term for tax crimes, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress in May.