The crimes of Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer, above, were a “veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct,” according to the New York judge who sentenced Mr. Cohen to three years in prison. It was a startling fall for Mr. Cohen, whose hopes for a position in the White House ended with a scandal involving hush-money payments to an adult-film star and a former Playboy model before the 2016 election. Mr. Cohen’s sentence is the first substantial prison term in a case stemming from the special counsel’s investigation into possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign. Separately, Maria Butina, a Russian who schmoozed with Republican presidential candidates and networked with top officials of the National Rifle Association, pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as a foreign agent. The plea casts a spotlight on the conservative Americans Ms. Butina worked with, as she effectively acknowledged that her were part of an organized effort backed by Russian officials.

Source: New York Times December 16, 2018 11:03 UTC