Michael Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison

By Meg Wagner, Brian Ries, Veronica Rocha and Amanda Wills, CNN

Updated 3:21 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018
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3:21 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Our live coverage of Michael Cohen's sentencing has ended. Scroll through the posts below to see how it unfolded or follow CNN Politics for more.

1:42 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Sketches show what it looked like at Cohen's sentencing today

Artist Christine Cornell was in the courtroom today for Michael Cohen's sentencing and created these sketches. (It's a federal courtroom, so no photography was permitted.)

Here's what it looked like inside his hearing:

Christine Cornell
Christine Cornell

Christine Cornell
Christine Cornell

1:23 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Cohen is the 4th person to be sentenced to prison in Mueller's investigation

From CNN's Marshall Cohen

So far, 36 people and entities have been charged in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

Of those, seven people pleaded guilty. They are....

  • George Papadopoulos
  • Michael Flynn
  • Paul Manafort
  • Rick Gates
  • Richard Pinedo
  • Alex van der Zwaan
  • Michael Cohen

And now, four of the seven sentenced to prison:

  • Papadopoulos
  • Pinedo
  • van der Zwaan
  • Cohen

 One person — Paul Manafort — was convicted at trial.

Read more about the numbers behind the Mueller investigation here.

1:10 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Sobbing could be heard in the courtroom when Cohen was sentenced

The sentencing hearing for Michael Cohen was emotional at times, CNN's Kara Scannell reported.

Scannell, who was inside the courtroom, said Cohen teared up as he spoke to the judge about bringing pain and shame to his family. Sobbing could be heard in the courtroom when Cohen was finally sentenced to three years in prison.

"His family members were all very emotional. He was surrounded by friends and family. His daughter sitting right behind him, his wife, son, his mother, father, in-law, cousins, they all came over after the sentencing, which seemed like an absolute shock to them," Scannell said.

After the sentencing, Cohen and his family hugged and engaged in "long embraces," she reported. Handshakes were exchanged.

"Everyone looked very shocked and I think they were expecting him to have a much lighter sentence, if not any time at all," Scannell said.

Watch below for more:

12:39 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Cohen's former attorney Lanny Davis: He "owned up to his mistakes"

From CNN’s MJ Lee

(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Lanny Davis, Michael Cohen's former attorney, just issued a statement about Cohen's sentencing, saying that he "owned up to his mistakes and fully cooperated" with the special counsel's investigation.

Davis said he will no longer serve as Cohen's attorney since the sentencing is over.

Instead, he said he will serve as Cohen's communications adviser.

Read his full statement:

Michael Cohen, former attorney to Donald Trump, continues to tell the truth about Donald Trump’s misconduct over the years.
At the appropriate time, after Mr. Mueller completes his investigation and issues his final report, I look forward to assisting Michael to state publicly all he knows about Mr. Trump — and that includes any appropriate Congressional committee interested in the search for truth and the difference between facts and lies. Mr. Trump’s repeated lies cannot contradict stubborn facts.
Michael has owned up to his mistakes and fully cooperated with Special Counsel Mueller in his investigation over possible Trump campaign collusion with Russian meddling in the 2016 election. While Mr. Mueller gave Michael significant credit for cooperation on the “core” issues, it is unfortunate that SDNY prosecutors did not do the same.  To me, their judgment showed a lack of appropriate proportionality.
Since the sentencing process has been completed, I no longer need to serve as an attorney for Michael, but will continue to serve as a communications advisor.”
12:38 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Michael Cohen and his family just left the court, saying nothing

President Trump's former "fixer" Michael Cohen, who was just sentenced to three years in federal prison, emerged from the courtroom moments ago and said nothing to the scores of press assembled there.

His wife and children left moments before.

They squeezed into a waiting black SUV.

Watch the moment:

12:37 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Cohen must pay more than $1 million in restitution

From CNN's Erica Orden

In addition to the three-year prison sentence, Judge William Pauley imposed more than $1 million in restitution for Michael Cohen. 

Pauley imposed $500,000 in forfeiture to Cohen, and $1.39 million in restitution.

Cohen is scheduled to surrender on March 6.

12:20 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

Cohen's sentencing is over, and he's been ordered to surrender on March 6

From CNN's Erica Orden

The sentencing of Michael Cohen has concluded. 

Cohen has been ordered to surrender on March 6.

The judge agreed to recommend Otisville Federal Correctional Facility, in Upstate New York, as the prison where Cohen will spend his time. It's less than a two hour drive from Manhattan.

12:15 p.m. ET, December 12, 2018

JUST IN: Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison

From CNN's Erica Orden

Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, was just sentenced to three years in prison.

Cohen was sentenced for eight criminal counts he pleaded guilty to in August. The judge gave him an additional two months for the special counsel charge, to be served concurrently with the US attorney's New York office term.

He has been ordered to surrender on March 6. 

Watch more below: