Ex-Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas was granted the leniency he sought, sentenced Wednesday to 20 months instead of the six-year sentence sought by prosecutors. Parnas was convicted last year of making illegal campaign donations to sway politicians and pleaded guilty separately to stealing investment funds. Parnas was separately involved in Trump’s attempt to get dirt on Joe and Hunter Biden from Ukraine prior to the 2020 election—and Parnas’ defense lawyers argued for a lighter sentence in criminal case because Parnas cooperated with the subsequent congressional probe into the unrelated Ukraine matter. Prosecutors countered Parnas was forced to cooperate by a subpoena and asked for a six-year sentence. Victims who gave Parnas money for his fraudulent business ventures spoke in court, one of whom said Parnas “destroyed” her life. Parnas cried as he said, “I want to apologize to all the victims that I hurt. These are all people who are my friends, all people who trusted me and I lied to them to further my personal agenda.”
