Papadopoulos sentenced in Russia investigation

George Papadopoulos, the novice, unpaid foreign policy advisor to Donald Trump, who became the first former campaign adviser arrested in connection with the investigation into the Russian influence of Special Adviser Robert Mueller, was sentenced Friday at 14 prison days, one year of supervision release and 200 hours of community service.

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in October to making false statements to FBI agents about his correspondence with Russian nationals and his attempts to organize a meeting between the campaign and Russian officials.

The 30-year-old foreign and energy policy specialist, who attempted his first election politics adventure in 2016, eventually became Trump's first adviser to cooperate with the special investigation into Russian interference in elections of 2016.

Papadopoulos' lawyer, Thomas Breen, testified in court Friday that his client's cooperation had earned him probation, saying he was "unsophisticated, naive and silly".

Papadopoulos then read a prepared statement in which he stated that "all I wanted to do was serve the United States with pride."

"I made a terrible mistake. I am a good man, "said Papadopoulos, adding," I am ready to accept my sentence. "

Prosecutors have been asking for time behind bars, telling US district court judge Randolph D. Moss that the young foreign policy and energy expert continues to mislead them even after entering into a cooperation agreement.

Attorney Andrew Goldstein said Papadopoulos "chose to lie again and again to promote his personal interests.
His lies were intentional, calculated and caused harm to the investigation.

He has done "his best efforts to cooperate," said Goldstein.

Papadopoulos remains a central figure in the investigation into Russian interference, as he would be the first Trump campaign advisor to be contacted by a person suspected of being linked to the Russian government and informed of pirated emails related to the campaign. Hillary Clinton. 2016, well before the publication of any stolen material.

"The initial date of this contact is significant: even the Clinton campaign was not yet aware that Russia possessed its stolen emails," wrote the Democracy Intelligence Committee in a status report on their investigation.

The way in which his cooperation has influenced the direction and content of the Mueller probe remains uncertain. According to court records, prosecutors conducted four lengthy briefings with him.

According to his court documents, the interviews focused on his interactions with a mysterious Maltese professor, Joseph Mifsud, who allegedly had links with the Russian government, and his ephemeral friendship with a businessman of Belarussian origin who was entering in contact with many people. in the orbit of Trump. The two men have since been silent.

John Bazemore / AP FILE

In their sentencing memorandum to the judge last Friday, Papadopoulos' lawyers also claimed that the future president had "nodded his approval" when, at a meeting in March 2016 with campaign advisor Jeff Sessions, Papadopoulos had proposed President Vladimir Putin.

Trump has already stated that he did not remember what was said at the "unimportant" campaign meeting.

"Desirous of showing his value for the campaign, George announced at the meeting that he had links that could facilitate a foreign policy meeting between Mr. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin," the memorandum says. "While some in the room rebuffed George's offer, Mr. Trump nodded with approval and deferred to Mr. Sessions who seemed to like this idea and said the campaign should inquire."

In the months following his plea of ​​guilty, Papadopoulos was publicly represented by his wife, Simona Mangiante Papadopoulos.

As her husband was approaching the death sentence, Mangiante Papadopoulos repeatedly expressed her belief that her husband had been created by the government. For several weeks, she claimed that her husband was reconsidering his guilty plea. But she said he had finally decided to accept his fate with the court.

"George will take responsibility for some inaccuracies during the interview with the FBI," she said in a statement to ABC News Wednesday. She hoped that "the judge will take into account" her persistent concerns about the government's conduct "in order to assess George's role in this investigation from an objective point of view".

"And yes," she added, "definitely decide for a zero prison sentence."