7 key figures in Donald Trump's orbit who have already been to jail: From Michael Cohen to Paul Manafort
Key figures inside Donald Trump's circle who have done time, from Steve Bannon to Peter Navarro
Even as former President Donald Trump navigates a wave of legal challenges to avoid imprisonment, several of his close associates have already found themselves behind bars. A notable number of individuals connected to Trump have been sentenced for various offenses, including contempt of Congress and campaign finance violations. The looming threat of incarceration has even prompted some Trump allies to turn on him and cooperate with prosecutors, as per OK Magazine.
1. Allen Weisselberg
Former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer, Allen Weisselberg, faced multiple legal battles leading to his imprisonment. Weisselberg received a five-month jail sentence at New York City's Rikers Island after pleading guilty to two counts of perjury for providing false testimony during Trump's civil fraud trial. This came after a previous five-month sentence related to his involvement in Trump's tax fraud scheme, though he only served 100 days of that sentence, according to NBC News.
2. George Nader
George Nader, former advisor to Trump on matters involving the United Arab Emirates, received a 10-year prison sentence from a Virginia federal judge. Nader pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and admitted to transporting a boy from the Czech Republic to his Washington home in 2000. Furthermore, Nader confessed to "felony conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government" by aiding the UAE in funneling millions of dollars in illegal campaign contributions into the US political system during the 2016 presidential election. As reported by the Office of Public Affairs, Nader began serving his sentence for unrelated charges before completing an additional 20 months in prison for these offenses.
3. George Papadopoulos
George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aide, spent a brief stint of 14 days in a federal prison camp in Wisconsin. His conviction stemmed from lying to the FBI about contacts with individuals linked to Russia. However, Papadopoulos found clemency when Trump pardoned him in December 2020, marking the end of his legal saga, as per CNN.
4. Michael Cohen
Michael Cohen, Trump's once-loyal personal attorney, faced the grim reality of federal prison near Otisville, New York. Cohen's downfall came after pleading guilty to various crimes related to Trump, including orchestrating hush money payments to women alleging affairs with the former president. His three-year sentence also encompassed charges of lying to Congress regarding a proposed real estate project in Russia by the Trump Organization, as per AP News.
5. Paul Manafort
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort faced the consequences of his actions, resulting in a sentence of under two years for bank and tax fraud crimes. Despite initially receiving a 7.5-year sentence, Manafort's time behind bars was cut short following a pardon from Trump in December 2020, as per NPR.
6. Peter Navarro
Peter Navarro, Trump's former senior presidential advisor, found himself at odds with the law after refusing to comply with a House Select Committee subpoena regarding the January 6 US Capitol attack. Despite asserting executive privilege, Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of Congress, as per CNN.
7. Steve Bannon
In August 2020, Steve Bannon faced charges of fraud for his involvement in a fundraising scam aimed at building Trump's signature wall along the US-Mexico border. Despite receiving a pardon from Trump, Bannon's legal troubles persist, with federal prosecutors seeking his imprisonment for four months, as per BBC.
