Michael Cohen blames Trump’s “dirty deeds” as he is sentenced to 36-months in prison

US President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen has lashed out at his ex-boss’ “dirty deeds” as he was given a 36-month prison sentence.

Cohen is the first member of Trump’s inner circle to be jailed over the special counsel’s inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

He admitted lying to Congress about campaign finance violations and tax evasion.

In a New York court Cohen, 52, blamed his crimes on Trump.

The disgraced attorney told Judge William Pauley on Wednesday that Trump had caused him to “follow a path of darkness rather than light”.

He told the court his “weakness was a blind loyalty to Donald Trump” and that he “felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds”.

Cohen will serve his term concurrently with a two-month sentence he was given for lying to Congress about a possible Trump Tower project in Moscow, a charge levelled by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

The judge gave Cohen until March 6th to report to Otisville prison in upstate New York.

In addition to the jail term, he was also ordered to forfeit nearly $2m.

As he left the court, Cohen did not pause to speak to journalists.

Trump ignored reporters as they asked for his reaction later at the White House.

Paul Ayorinde 

Written by BoomRadioNG