Manafort's Ukrainian lobbying contact gets released early from probation
W. Samuel Patten, a Washington lobbyist who helped build the criminal Ukraine lobbying case against Paul Manafort and just last month helped prosecutors with more unspecified ongoing investigations, is done serving his probation for illegal foreign lobbying two years early, a federal judge said on Tuesday.
Posted — UpdatedLast spring, Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Patten to three years probation after cooperating with investigators including special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Manafort and Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Patten had served about a year of his probation, did 500 hours of community service and obeyed other orders from the judge, so he asked this month for early release. Justice Department prosecutors didn't object to his request.
Jackson, of the DC Circuit Court, agreed Tuesday, ending a proceeding that had long been a curious case in the background of the Russia investigation.
Jackson said she released Patten early from probation because of his and prosecutors' agreement, his "compliance" since he pleaded guilty and "in the interests of justice."
His reprieve, which his attorney had argued was warranted because of the coronavirus pandemic's strains on the justice system, comes days after Manafort himself was sent home from prison to serve the rest of his sentence on house arrest.
Patten's criminal case revealed how he worked for Ukrainian political interests that Manafort also served and how he funneled tickets for President Donald Trump's inauguration to a Ukrainian oligarch and Manafort's Russian business associate Konstantin Kilimnik.
He was expected to play a role in Manafort's second criminal trial, which was canceled last September when the former Trump campaign chairman pleaded guilty to a foreign lobbying and money laundering scheme.
Since then, Patten appears to have continued to share information with investigators.
Prosecutors told the judge last week that Patten helped them in "ongoing investigations" by answering their questions in a 2.5-hour sit-down about a month ago.
"The defendant did not appear evasive or deceitful, appeared to answer all the questions put to him to the best of his ability, and admitted to a lack of knowledge or memory when appropriate," the DC US Attorney's Office said Friday.
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