Igor Fruman arrives at federal court for an arraignment hearing on Oct. 23, 2019, in New York City. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - Igor Fruman, who helped facilitate illegal foreign campaign contributions in Ukraine has been sentenced to 1 year in prison and one day for giving a Russian's cash to US politicians.
The Florida businessman had made headlines for helping Rudy Giuliani seek damaging information on Joe Biden in Ukraine. Giuliani wasn't charged in connection with the case.
He pleaded guilty in September to a charge alleging he helped facilitate illegal foreign campaign contributions in an effort to build a marijuana business in the U.S.
Igor Fruman, 56, entered the plea at a federal court in Manhattan after reaching a deal with prosecutors. Fruman's plea agreement does not require him to cooperate in other cases.
Initially charged in a wide-ranging indictment, Fruman pleaded guilty to a single count of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national, who was not identified by prosecutors.
Federal sentencing guidelines called for a punishment of 37 to 46 months in prison.
Fruman was also charged with, but did not plead guilty to, arranging hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal donations to Republicans and political action committees while trying to get Americans interested in investigating Biden's son in Ukraine during the Democrat's successful run for president.
Fruman apologized in court when he pleaded guilty. He said he was not aware of laws prohibiting foreign campaign contributions at the time he engaged in the donation scheme.
With the Associated Press.