Cecily Zamora
Paul Manafort was convicted of repeatedly violating the law. The special counsel's office recommended a sentence of 19 to 24 years in federal prison. Manafort's defence attorneys asked for leniency, arguing that Manafort was a first-time offender, remorseful, and in poor health. Judge Ellis ultimately sentenced Manafort to a shorter term, setting a dangerous precedent of attaching shorter sentences to the otherwise blameless life of prominent people who break the law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Laws broken | Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Federal sentencing guidelines |
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What You'll Learn
Violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)
Paul Manafort was charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). FARA is a US law that requires individuals and companies to disclose their relationships with foreign governments and political parties. It is designed to prevent foreign influence in US politics and to ensure transparency in lobbying activities.
Manafort was accused of failing to disclose his work as a foreign agent for the Ukrainian government between 2012 and 2013. During this time, he reportedly collected more than $17 million. Manafort's failure to disclose this income was a violation of FARA, which requires individuals to register with the US Department of Justice within 10 days of agreeing to act as a foreign agent.
The consequences for violating FARA can be severe, with potential penalties including fines and imprisonment. However, enforcement of the law has been inconsistent, and some critics have argued that violations are often not taken seriously enough. In Manafort's case, the special counsel's office recommended a punishment of 19 to 24 years in federal prison, citing his repeated and brazen violations of the law.
Despite the seriousness of the charges, Manafort's defence attorneys argued for leniency, pointing to his age, declining health, and status as a first-time offender. They also emphasised that Manafort was "truly remorseful" for his conduct. Ultimately, Judge Ellis handed down a sentence that was shorter than the federal sentencing guidelines recommended, citing Manafort's "otherwise blameless life". This decision was criticised by some who felt it set a dangerous precedent for attaching shorter sentences to prominent individuals who break the law.
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Tax fraud
Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman, was convicted of tax fraud in 2019. He was found guilty of hiding foreign income from his work in Ukraine from the IRS and later inflating his income on bank loan applications. Manafort hid tens of millions of dollars in foreign income and failed to pay more than $6 million in taxes. He was also convicted of failing to disclose his foreign bank accounts.
Manafort's defence attorneys argued that he was a first-time offender and was "truly remorseful for his conduct". They also pointed to his age and declining health. Manafort was 69 years old at the time and suffered from foot pain due to gout. Despite this, Manafort faced the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he could have received a 20-year sentence, though most observers expected he would receive less than that.
The government has only pursued criminal charges similar to Manafort's eight times in the past 50 years. Manafort's case was seen as a test of the criminal justice system and whether the rich and powerful would be held accountable for their actions. Judge Ellis, who sentenced Manafort, was criticised for setting a dangerous trend of attaching shorter sentences to the "otherwise blameless life" of prominent people who break the law.
Manafort's conviction sent a strong message that tax fraud is a serious crime that will not be tolerated, even for those with power and influence. It also highlighted the importance of holding individuals accountable for their financial crimes, regardless of their political affiliations or connections. Manafort's case served as a reminder that no one is above the law and that everyone must pay their fair share of taxes.
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Bank fraud
Paul Manafort was found guilty of eight counts of bank fraud, tax fraud, and failure to report foreign bank accounts. He was sentenced to 47 months in prison.
Manafort was found to have lied to bankers to get loans. In one instance, he falsely told Citizens Bank that a New York City condo he owned was a second home when it was a rental property. He also failed to disclose previous mortgage debt and, after the lender discovered that debt, falsely claimed it had been forgiven. Manafort was also found to have hidden millions of dollars in offshore accounts.
Manafort's defence attorneys argued that he was a first-time offender, was “truly remorseful for his conduct”, and that his age and declining health should be taken into account. They asked for leniency, and Manafort was eventually sentenced to four years in prison.
Manafort's conviction set a dangerous trend of attaching shorter sentences to the "otherwise blameless life" of prominent people who break the law.
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Conspiracy against the United States
Paul Manafort was charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and was also convicted of conspiracy against the United States.
Manafort pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy, which effectively consolidated and resolved the two criminal cases against him in Washington and Virginia federal courts. The first count related to a wide array of underlying criminal conduct. The second count was conspiracy to obstruct justice by witness tampering.
Manafort's conspiracy against the United States involved him and Rick Gates "knowingly and intentionally" conspiring to "defraud the United States by impeding, impairing, obstructing and defeating the lawful governmental functions of a government agency, namely the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury". Manafort and Gates agreed to take illegal action, including failing to report their foreign bank account reports, failing to register as foreign agents, and providing false statements about their lobbying work with the Ukrainian government over the course of 11 years.
Manafort's conspiracy charges were related to money earned from consulting work on behalf of pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine, predating his tenure on the Trump campaign.
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Conspiracy to obstruct justice
Paul Manafort was convicted of violating the law, but it is unclear what specific laws he broke. He was charged with four counts of failing to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts, two counts of bank fraud, five counts of tax fraud and one count of failing to disclose an offshore bank account. He was also charged with conspiracy against the US, making false statements, money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent for Ukraine. In addition, he was accused of working with Russia to help Trump win the 2016 election, although this was never proven. Manafort was found guilty of filing false income tax returns, failing to report his foreign accounts and bank fraud. He was also prosecuted for obstruction of justice and witness tampering while under house arrest.
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Frequently asked questions
Manafort was convicted of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires lobbyists to disclose their work for foreign entities.
Usually, not much. According to a watchdog from the Project on Government Oversight, violators "don't even really get a slap on the wrist".
Manafort's defence attorneys asked for leniency, arguing that he was a first-time offender, remorseful, and in declining health. The judge gave Manafort a shorter sentence than recommended by the special counsel's office, which had suggested 19 to 24 years in federal prison.
