Former Trump Aide Rick Gates Sentenced to Three Years Probation

Rick Gates, who was once a close associate of Paul Manafort and was a key figure in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, has been sentenced to three years probation 45 days in jail and 300 hours of community service by a federal court in Washington.

Gates, who is a former lobbyist, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and conspiring to hide tens of millions of dollars. He earned that money working for Manafort in Ukraine. Manafort himself was convicted partially thanks to testimony from Gates.

“I believe he has in a very real way accepted responsibility for his actions,” Judge Amy Berman Jackson said.

“He’s been at this long enough and under such onerous circumstances that one can believe in the transformation,” the judge said.

Gates had requested no prison time and federal prosecutors decided not to oppose that request.

“Under exceedingly difficult circumstances and under intense public scrutiny, Gates has worked earnestly to provide the government with everything it has asked of him and has fulfilled all obligations under his plea agreement,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gaston  said.

Gates was also an aide to President Donald Trump, making him the most person in Trump’s orbit to be sentenced to prison time.