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Reports: Man Sentenced to 6 Months in Jail, 6 Months Home Arrest in Russia Probe

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Richard Pinedo, a California man who pleaded guilty to selling fake online identities to Russians, has been given a sentence of six months in prison to be followed by six months of home confinement, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Sputnik

The sentencing guidelines recommend a maximum prison term of 18 months, but Pinedo the sentence was shortened because Pinedo cooperated with prosecutors, the New York Times reported.

The US authorities charged Pinedo in connection with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into allegations of Trump-Russia collusion and Russia meddling in 2016 US presidential election.

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Trump and the Kremlin have repeatedly denied collusion and moreover, Russia has said the allegations of meddling were absurd.

Pinedo was not directly accused of knowingly aiding Russia, but profiting from an illegal operation he had set up. Prosecutors said Pinedo took nearly $40,000 in payments for providing fraudulent bank accounts.

Pinedo’s attorney Jeremy Lessem initially asked the court not to give his client jail time and emphasized that Pinedo and his family have received death threats.

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