Consultant Gets 18-Month Prison Sentence For Scheme To Connect Russian Millionaire To Trump

On Friday, a GOP political operative was sentenced for illegally funnelling tens of thousand of dollars from a Russian The businessman to Trump Campaign in 2016.

In November, Jesse Benton (45) was convicted of six charges in connection to a scheme to link a Russian businessman to then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump. Roman Vasilenko, a millionaire Russian, wanted to take photos with Trump for social media.

“Benton arranged for the Russian national – whose nationality Benton concealed from the campaign and the candidate – to attend a campaign fundraising event and to take a picture with the candidate,” In a statement, the Department of Justice said that it had received a notification from DOJ. Press release.

Vasilenko paid $100,000 for Benton’s consulting company with the understanding that Benton and another political agent would arrange for the Russian to attend a Trump fundraiser. Benton took the money for consulting services under a falsified invoice.

“Benton acted as a straw donor and contributed $25,000 of the Russian national’s money to the campaign, falsely identified himself as the contributor, and pocketed the remaining $75,000,” The DOJ stated. “Because Benton falsely claimed to have given the contribution himself, the relevant campaign entities unwittingly filed reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that inaccurately reported Benton – instead of the Russian national – as the source of the funds.”

Vasilenko Participated Later, he posted a photo with Trump and captioned it. “Two Presidents.”

Benton has been previously It worked As an aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Rand Paul (R–KY) and former Rep. Ron Paul(R–TX). Benton, Rand Paul’s grand-daughter, is married to Benton.

Benton was convicted of a scheme in 2016 to bribe an Iowa senator to endorse Ron Paul in 2012. Benton asked for home confinement and pleaded for leniency with the judge during sentencing. Benton stated to the judge that he had made a complete recovery and that it would be difficult for him to separate from his family. According to reports, the judge agreed to Benton’s request. Mother Jones.

U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden was not as accommodating on Friday. McFadden refused to acquit Benton in advance of the sentencing hearing. In a letter, Benton claimed that Benton was subject to federal investigation and that he had stopped working in politics. He also wrote McFadden asking for leniency.

“Sir, I will tell you, frankly, it’s difficult for me to read your letter talking about your integrity and faith with this pattern of deception,” McFadden told Benton in court. “I cannot ignore you were engaging in this incident here while you were facing sentencing in another case for political conspiracy. The judge in that case gave you a real break, it’s shocking to me you would take that break and the mercy you sought from him and only six days later mail in this false contribution.”