(2018-04-03) First Person Sentenced In Robert Muellers Russia Investigation

First Person Sentenced In Robert Mueller's Russia Investigation

A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced Alex van der Zwaan to 30 days in prison, a $20,000 fine and two months’ supervised release, making him the first person to be sentenced as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into whether President Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election.

Documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington last week claimed that Rick Gates and van der Zwaan had communicated with a former Russian intelligence officer in the months leading up to the 2016 election. That individual, identified only as “Person A” in the filings from Mueller’s team, is believed to be Konstantin Kilimnik, who worked for Paul Manafort’s lobbying firm in Ukraine, according to Reuters.

In February, Gates pleaded guilty to the charges against him and is now cooperating with Mueller’s investigation. Manafort pleaded not guilty and faces a trial later this year.