The first sentence in the Russia probe being led by special counsel Robert Mueller was handed down today.
Alex van der Zwaan, a Dutch attorney who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his communications with former Trump campaign staffer Rick Gates and suspected Russian operative Konstantin Kilimnik, became the first person to face consequences in the investigation looking into whether Trump and his team colluded with Russia during the 2016 election.
District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced van der Zwaan to 30 days in prison and two months of probation. He was also hit with a 20,000 fine. The sentence is the result of a guilty plea deal.
WATCH: Lawyer Alex van der Zwann arrives at court, in the first sentencing of the Robert Mueller investigation pic.twitter.com/pglkm68Uca
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 3, 2018
In 2012, Van der Zwann prepared a report petitioned by former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and Gates in defense of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych who’d recently imprisoned a political opponent. Gates’ and Manafort’s interest in helping the Ukrainian government is what has captured Mueller’s attention.
It’s possible that Van der Zwann was able to provide Mueller more information about the Russian operative who may have played a role in meddling the 2016 campaign
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