Parnas was convicted last fall on six charges related to “influence buying” campaign funding schemes. Jurors found him guilty of attempting with co-conspirators to use money from a Russian sponsor to fund political contributions they hoped to change politically for their joint cannabis company.
He was also sentenced to pay a restitution of $ 2,322,500 and three years of supervised release.
As part of his plan, the Ukrainian businessman was also convicted of using money from Igor Fruman – who previously pleaded guilty – and a fake company to channel hundreds of thousands of political contributions to Republican committees and pro-Donald Trump and then lie about it to the Federal Electoral Commission.
A $ 325,000 donation to the America First Action Super PAC in question in the case was first flagged in a 2018 FEC complaint.
Parnas’ prison sentence is far below the time he could have served. He had faced up to five years in prison for each of the five charges, and a sixth charge for falsifying records at the FEC carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Parnas and Fruman were arrested in 2019 at an airport in the Washington area while boarding a flight bound for Vienna. The arrest came amid an investigation by House Democrats – and a possible impeachment trial – of then-President Trump and threw on the world stage two unknown Florida businessmen with an unstable history.
Ultimately, Parnas did not testify, but he seemed to take the movement seriously in his own defense. Prosecutors hoped to question Parnas about his counterpart proposals to Ukrainian politicians at Giuliani’s urging.
This story has been updated with additional details and background information.