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Michael Cohen, the former adviser to the president who had stated that he was ready to "take a bullet" for Donald Trump before turning against his boss, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison by a federal judge in New York guilty of numerous crimes by cooperating with prosecutors.
Prior to the sentencing, Cohen found himself before a federal court, declaring to the judge that it was his duty to conceal the "dirty deeds" of the president. "
Cohen had previously appeared in court." US District Judge William Pauley III was convicted after pleading guilty to charges of violation of campaign financing, tax evasion and lying before Congress on Trump's past business deal in Russia was seen on Wednesday at the Manhattan courthouse with members of his family
Speaking in court before the judge renders his sentence, M Cohen said that a "blind loyalty" to Trump had led him to "borrow a trail of darkness instead of light."
Cohen does not have to He was sent to the prison before March 6. He was also ordered to pay $ 1.4 million in compensation and a fine of $ 50,000, as well as the loss of $ 500,000.
Contrary, Cohen, Expressing in court, told the judge that he takes "full responsibility for every act", declaring that "the sooner I am sentenced, the sooner I will be able to return to my family".
Cohen also apologized to the American people, saying, "You deserve to know the truth. . "
The sentence, although not the maximum sentence, represents a remarkable fall for the accusing lawyer who for years was part of Trump's restricted circle. The charges against Cohen resulted from two separate investigations, one conducted by federal prosecutors in New York and the other by special advocate Robert Mueller.
The two cases could have consequences for Trump. His admission, in the first case, of breaking the law by making secret payments during the 2016 campaign to two women who claimed to have relations with Trump raised questions as to whether the prosecutors could possibly sue the president. Last week's sentencing memos showed reporters that contacts with Russia could fuel the collusion aspect of Mueller's investigation.
Cohen's lawyers – who had worked as Trump's advisor prior to the presidential campaign, had defended him on television during the presidential race and had remained his personal advocate at the beginning of the administration. – had sought clemency because of his cooperation with both the Special Advocate Mueller's Office and prosecutors who investigate violations of campaign funding in New York
But federal prosecutors on Friday recommended a "penalty" substantial imprisonment "for Cohen, claiming that his efforts to cooperate with Mueller had been" exaggerated ". Federal prosecutors said Cohen was "motivated" by "personal greed" and "repeatedly used his power and influence for deceptive purposes".
Among other charges, Cohen recently pleaded guilty to misleading Congress about his work on a Trump skyscraper proposal in Moscow, concealing the fact that he continued to talk about the proposal to the Russians until the end of the presidential campaign. [19659003] In the New York case, prosecutors accused Cohen of a "tax evasion scheme" designed to avoid paying federal taxes on more than $ 4 million made on a number of projects, including by the property of taxi medallions, his sale of real estate in Florida and his consulting work for other clients.
In August, Cohen pleaded guilty to violating the campaign finance law by helping to silence former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult actress Stormy Daniels , accused of having sexual violence.
READ: A MEMORY OF MICHAEL COHEN CONDEMNANT DEPOSITED BY THE PROSECUTOR
Prosecutors said that Cohen orchestrated payments to McDougal and Daniels under Trump's direction.
Trump criticized his cooperation with prosecutors. He recently said that Cohen had lied and deserved to "serve his sentence".
A sentencing note filed by prosecutors asserted that Cohen "acted in coordination and Trump denied the payments to Daniels and McDougal were campaign contributions, calling them rather a" simple private transaction. "Trump also said that if mistakes were made, the "responsibility" should be with Cohen, his lawyer, not with him.
"Cohen just wants his sentence to be reduced," announced the president on Twitter on Monday.
Cohen is the latest example of Trump-related people who have pleaded guilty to or have been convicted of crimes since Trump's entry into the White House, including former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. , former campaign president, Paul Manafort, former campaign assistant, Rick Gates and former campaign advisor, George Papadopoulos.
Lissa Kaplan and Tara Prindiville Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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