Donald Trump’s ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort has been jailed for 43 more months on charges stemming from the Russia investigation.<\/p>\n
It comes a week after the 69-year-old was given a 47-month prison sentence for fraud in a separate case.<\/p>\n
The latest sentencing arises from two conspiracy charges Manafort pleaded guilty to last year.<\/p>\n
He told the federal court in Washington DC that he wanted to apologise for his actions.<\/p>\n
“I am sorry for what I have done and for all the activities that have gotten us here today,” he said, speaking from a wheelchair.<\/p>\n
US District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Manafort to a total of 73 months, of which 30 were to run concurrently with last week’s sentence.<\/p>\n
Both cases stem from an inquiry into alleged Russian election meddling in the 2016 US elections.<\/p>\n
None of Manafort’s charges, however, relates to allegations of collusion with Russia. Mr Trump has always denied the charge, describing the inquiry as a witch hunt.<\/p>\n
Manafort’s jail term is the longest handed down since the inquiry began.<\/p>\n
“This case has taken everything from me already – my properties, my cash, my life insurance, trust accounts for my children and grandchildren, and even more,” Manafort told Judge Jackson on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Before sentencing, Judge Jackson said it was “hard to overstate” the number of lies and the amount of fraud involved.<\/p>\n
“The defendant is not public enemy number one,” she said. “But he is not a victim either.”<\/p>\n
Manafort pleaded guilty last September to two felony counts – conspiracy against the United States and conspiracy to obstruct justice – related to his lobbying.<\/p>\n
He also agreed to co-operate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry in a deal for a possible lighter sentence.<\/p>\n
However, just two months later that plea deal collapsed as investigators said Manafort had repeatedly lied to the government.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"