Paul Manafort says he's 'sorry' for his crimes, promises he's 'already begun to change'

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published 13 March 2019

Paul Manafort offered an apology for his crimes on Wednesday while awaiting a possible sentence of up to 10 more years in prison.

The former Trump campaign chair last week was sentenced to 47 months in prison after pleading guilty to tax and bank fraud — during his sentencing he emphasized feeling "humiliated and ashamed," to which Judge Thomas Ellis said, "I was surprised I did not hear you express regret," per NBC News. On Wednesday, Manafort told Judge Amy Berman Jackson, "In my previous allocation I told Judge Ellis I was ashamed for my conduct ... I want to say to you now that I am sorry for what I have done and for all the activities that have gotten me here today," per CNN.

Manafort also said he takes "responsibility for the consequences of these actions," BuzzFeed reports, and argued he has "already begun to change" and is a "different person." He asked the judge not to add more time to his existing sentence. "Please let my wife and I be together," he said, adding that he is almost 70 years old and that "she needs me and I need her," Talking Points Memo reports. Manafort has not yet received his sentencing from Berman Jackson.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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