In documents filed in federal court in Washington, D.C, attorneys Kevin Downing, Thomas Zehnle and Richard Westling said prosecutors had presented Manafort "as a hardened criminal who 'brazenly' violated the law and deserves no mercy." The plea came ten days before he was due to go to trial in a Washington federal court on seven counts of foreign lobbying violations and witness tampering. "Mr. Manafort has been punished substantially, including the forfeiture of most of his assets," the lawyers added. In addition to the case in Washington, Manafort faces the possibility of over 19 years in prison in a separate tax and bank fraud case in federal court in Virginia. Judge Jackson will sentence Manafort on March 13.

Source: Fox News February 26, 2019 03:19 UTC