Political consultant who steered Ukrainian politician’s money to Trump gets probation


Sam Patten, a lobbyist who admitted to using $50,000 from a pro-Russia Ukrainian politician to get the Ukrainian tickets to President Trump's inauguration, was sentenced to three years probation on Friday.
Patten was investigated as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe based on his extensive work with Konstantin Kilimnik, the aide to Paul Manafort charged by Mueller. In August, Patten pleaded guilty to working as an unregistered foreign agent, saying he bought the Trump tickets with the Ukrainian's money even though presidential inaugural committees can't accept foreign donations. Yet he also agreed to cooperate with Mueller — something U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson cited when giving Patten a lighter sentence Friday.
Patten first met Kilimnik while working for a GOP-linked advocacy group in Russia and eventually founded a lobbying group with Kilimnik. Kilimnik has yet to go to trial for his charges, but Manafort, Trump's former campaign chair, has been sentenced to prison time by Jackson, the same judge who sentenced Patten on Friday. Jackson said Friday that Manafort's post-plea deal conduct was "more egregious" than Patten's, which is why she granted Patten's request for leniency.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Patten was fined $5,000 and will have to complete 500 hours of "hands-on" community service, along with three years of probation.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
5 darkly funny cartoons about Israel blocking aid to Gaza
Cartoons Artists take on forcing famine, avoiding aid, and more
-
The easy elegance of Cap Ferret
The Week Recommends 'Elemental and otherworldly' destination is loved for its natural beauty
-
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: flirting with authoritarianism?
Talking Point Ukraine's president is facing first major domestic unrest since the Russian invasion, over plans to water down the country's anti-corruption agencies
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein