According to sources US President Donald Trump's former campaign Chief Paul Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison Thursday for tax crimes and bank fraud. Meanwhile 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.
Furthermore in a rebuff to Mueller's call for stiff punishment, the judge called the official guidelines for a prison sentence of 19 to 24 years "excessive." Apparently Manafort still faces sentencing in a second case in Washington next week, where the maximum penalty is 10 years and the judge has appeared more sympathetic to prosecutors. Further 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 he argued in asking the court for lenience.
Moreover he is one of six top advisers and associates of Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign to be charged in the Mueller investigation. Hence 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.
