By Aaron Miller-
A Florida businessman whose business was set up to bust fraudulent activities, but was itself shown to be a fraud, was sentenced on Monday to a year and a day in prison.
David Correira was jailed for swindling investors out of $2.3 million and concealing factual details surrounding political donations in a case closely tied to Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and high-profile attorney for President Donald Trump
Former Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani was hired as a consultant to attract investors. Giuliani, said he was promised $500,000 to consult with the company.
U.S district judge sentenced J Paul Oetken in Manhattan, but granted a request for leniency as he cited Correira’s lesser role in the fraud scheme.
Oetken also ordered Correira to pay back an estimated $43,000 he received illegally, and more than $2m in restitution- that is, affirmative action by the defendant that benefits the victim of the crime.
Last October, Correira pleaded guilty to making false statements to the Federal Election Commission and conspiring to commit wire fraud. The plea came in connection with $2.3m raised for the company, which was supposed to protect investors in businesses from becoming fraud victims.
Before the sentence was announced, Correira told Oetken he had tried to be a better father and husband since his arrest.
“I feel true remorse,” he said.
Correira blamed his association with Parnas for his criminal conduct, after pleading guilty to charges related to Fraud Guarantee and other charges alleging he made illegal contributions to politicians he thought could aid his political and business interests.
The prosecution generated headlines after Parnas and another co-defendant worked with Giuliani to try to get Ukrainian officials to investigate the son of the then Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Giuliani has said he knew nothing about contributions by the men. He has not been charged.
The assistant U.S attorney Nicolas Roos had urged a sentence of about three years for Correira, which was what federal sentencing guidelines suggested.
The prosecutor said Correira was essentially “the closer” in conversations with investors and “bragged about his lavish lifestyle” with at least one.
Prosecutors also accused Correira of bragging about the involvement of Giuliani as a consultant, enticing one investor who seemed thrilled to contribute $500,000.Prosecutors said Correira told the investor Giuliani had agreed that his likeness could be used as the “face of the company”.