|
Manafort, 69, who was convicted in August of eight charges of
bank and tax fraud as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's
investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, is due
to be sentenced on March 7.
Under federal guidelines, Manafort is eligible for a sentence
ranging from 19-1/2 to 24 years.
In the court filing, Manafort's lawyers asked Judge T.S. Ellis
in Alexandria, Virginia, for a sentence "substantially below"
the guidelines "in light of the fact that the defendant is a
first-time offender and given the nature of the offenses."
Prosecutors, in a court filing on Feb. 15, said Manafort
deserved a sentence within the guidelines and a fine of between
$50,000 and $24 million.
"While some of these offenses are commonly prosecuted, there was
nothing ordinary about the millions of dollars involved in the
defendant's crimes, the duration of his criminal conduct or the
sophistication of his schemes," prosecutors said.
Prosecutors accused Manafort of hiding from U.S. tax authorities
$16 million he earned as a political consultant for pro-Russian
politicians in Ukraine, money he used to fund an opulent
lifestyle.
Later, when his lobbying work started to dry up following the
ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, prosecutors
said Manafort began lying to banks to secure $20 million in
loans to maintain his lifestyle.
Manafort also pleaded guilty in a separate case in federal court
in Washington last September to conspiracy against the United
States and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He faces up to 10
years in prison on those charges and is due to be sentenced on
March 13.
(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
