An associate of Rudy Giuliani was sentenced to a year and eight months in prison Wednesday for his part in a conspiracy to illegally funnel money from a Russian businessman into political campaigns.
Lev Parnas, 50, was handed a 20-month sentence in Manhattan federal court after an October conviction on charges he and others steered $100,000 to political candidates in states where they wanted to open a recreational marijuana business.
Prosecutors had argued for a longer sentence of 6.5 years, saying Parnas used money he conned from friends to live a lavish lifestyle that included private jets, hotels and other luxuries.
“He didn’t lie once. He lied over and over again,” prosecutor Rebekah Donaleski said. “He stole, he corrupted, he deceived… He wanted to feel important. He wanted to feel powerful. He wanted to seem rich.”
Parnas plead guilty in March to conspiring to commit wire fraud when he gave bogus information to investors about the company, Fraud Guarantee. The judge ordered Parnas to start paying back the $2.3 million he owes his victims by subtracting 15% from his gross monthly income.
A few people who lost money investing in Parnas’ business ventures gave emotional statements to the court, including a lawyer, Charles Gucciardo, who said he sent $500,000 to a Giuliani bank account to support Fraud Guarantee.
“I’d like to apologize to Mr. Gucciardo,” Parnas said. “Even though I never spent a dollar of his money. I lied to him and used our friendship. Charles, I am sorry.”
Gucciardo, a Long Island personal injury lawyer, said didn’t blame Giuliani but was “swindled” by Parnas.
“The man was so gregarious, so loving, calling me a brother,” said Gucciardo. “I prayed at the Wailing Wall with him in Israel.”
A woman who testified, claimed Parnas “destroyed” her life, when he never paid back money she lent for a movie he was supposedly producing.
“I’d like to apologize to all the victims that I hurt,” a sobbing Parnas said. “These are all people who are my friends, all people who trusted me and I lied to them to further my personal agenda.”
Prosecutors had asked US District Judge Paul Oetken for a sentence of 6.5 years while Parnas’ attorneys hoped to avoid any time behind bars.
Parnas had sought leniency and hoped to avoid prison time on his case because he cooperated with the first congressional impeachment investigation into former President Donald Trump.
Joseph Bondy, Parnas’ attorney, played up the cooperation and said the accused has tried to clean up his act by attending a Gambler’s Anonymous meeting and is so humbled he now works as a DoorDash driver to make ends meet.
“The person in this court has transgressions and has done wrong. That is part of the human condition. The other part is the indomitable spirit of Lev Parnas.”
Prosecutors counter-attacked that Parnas only helped with the Congressional probe after he was subpoenaed, and questioned his credibility in their sentencing memo. District Court Judge Paul Oetkin said the cooperation with the House Intelligence Committee was “not the kind of extraordinary departure” that would earn leniency.
“While I commend Mr. Parnas for complying, this is more akin to civic service,” Oetkin said.
Soviet-born Parnas, who helped Giuliani connect with Ukraine contacts in the effort to dig up dirt on Hunter Biden, bashed his former ally outside the courthouse after sentencing.
“I will continue to get the truth out. There’s a lot more that needs to get out about Rudy Giuliani, President, the ex-president, the former guy Trump, and everything that they did,” Parnas told reporters.
“And if they would’ve called me as a witness, they should have, we wouldn’t have had Jan. 6. This wouldn’t have happened. It’s unfortunate there’s still so much to tell but it will come out.”
Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and a Trump lawyer, hasn’t been charged in connection with the case.