Ukraine-born businessman will get one yr in jail in U.S. marketing campaign finance case

NEW YORK, March 15 (Reuters) – A Ukraine-born U.S. businessman was sentenced to 1 yr and at some point in jail on Tuesday after being convicted final yr of marketing campaign finance violations alongside a former affiliate of Rudy Giuliani.

The defendant, Andrey Kukushkin, had been discovered responsible in October on two felony counts for funneling cash from Russian tycoon Andrey Muraviev to U.S. political candidates who may assist a hashish firm he was constructing with Lev Parnas, the Giuliani affiliate. learn extra

Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 51 to 63 months, whereas Kukushkin stated he must be spared jail.

Earlier than being sentenced in federal court docket in Manhattan, Kukushkin had proposed being allowed to help with aid efforts in his native Ukraine.

“I can do way more if I carry on serving to my household and serving to my neighborhood somewhat than be locked up in jail,” Kukushkin, wiping away tears, instructed U.S. District Choose Paul Oetken.

Kukushkin’s lawyer Gerald Lefcourt added that his consumer had just lately taken in his fiancee’s aged mom, who fled Ukraine. learn extra

Oetken agreed that Kukushkin’s household would endure from his imprisonment, however stated jail time was wanted to discourage others from related crimes.

“Straw donations by overseas nationals corrupt our system,” Oetken stated.

Prosecutors on Monday unsealed fees over the marketing campaign finance scheme in opposition to Muraviev, who they stated is at massive and believed to be in Russia.

Washington has focused rich Russian businessmen with doable sanctions, asset seizures and felony fees to stress the Kremlin to cease its invasion of Ukraine. Russia calls its actions a “particular operation.” learn extra

Parnas, additionally born in Ukraine, was discovered responsible on all six counts of marketing campaign finance violations he confronted throughout the October trial, and is awaiting sentencing.

One other co-conspirator, Belarus-born Igor Fruman, was in January additionally sentenced to 1 yr and at some point in jail after pleading responsible to a marketing campaign finance violation. learn extra

Parnas and Fruman helped Giuliani, a onetime private lawyer to Republican former President Donald Trump, examine Democrat Joe Biden forward of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Giuliani, a former New York Metropolis mayor, has not been charged with crimes and has denied wrongdoing.

Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; enhancing by Jonathan Oatis

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