President Trump’s former campaign chairman will be moved later this week to Rikers Island, a New York prison famous for violence.
A New York state judge granted New York City District Attorney Cy Vance Jr.’s request for the transfer, Fox News reported. Manafort, who is serving time in prison for financial crimes and illegally lobbying on behalf of Ukraine, will be held in solitary confinement for his own safety, a source told the news outlet.
“He’s not a mob boss,” the source said.
The 70-year-old could be moved as soon as Thursday.
Manafort is currently imprisoned at Federal Correctional Institution Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He was previously held at the U.S. Penitentiary Canaan in Waymart, a high-security penitentiary in Pennsylvania.
Last year, Manafort was convicted of eight financial crimes in Virginia, including bank fraud, tax fraud, and failure to disclose a foreign bank account. In the Washington case, he was accused of illegally lobbying on behalf of Ukrainian interests.
Manafort accepted a plea deal, admitting to one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and one count of obstructing justice. However, prosecutors said Manafort lied to investigators after he agreed to cooperate in the case, and thus, they did not have to recommend a reduced sentence.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons lists Manafort’s release date as Christmas Day 2024.
