Paul Manafort faced 24 years in prison, but got 47 months. Was his sentence too light?
- It was the stiffest prison sentence given so far to an associate of the US president, but was significantly lighter than many expected
- Advisory sentencing guidelines called for a prison term of between 19 and 24 years
But within moments of that ruling, Judge T.S. Lewis came under fire from Democratic lawmakers and some legal experts for imposing what they described as a relatively light sentence on the 69-year-old Republican political consultant and lobbyist.
The 47-month sentence was a far cry from the federal sentencing guidelines cited by prosecutors that called for 19 to 24 years in prison.
During Manafort’s sentencing on Thursday, Ellis said had committed “serious, very serious crimes”, but he also said Manafort had “lived an otherwise blameless life and earned the admiration of many”.
A jury in Virginia convicted Manafort of eight charges, including bank and tax fraud, after a three-week trial last summer.
The case, as well as a related one in Washington, stem from his work as a political consultant in Ukraine before he joined Trump’s campaign in 2016.