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Des Moines, Iowa • The deputy manager of Ron Paul's 2012 presidential campaign was sentenced Wednesday to three months in prison for conspiring to cover up campaign payments to a former Iowa state senator, after a judge determined he played a larger role than two other aides who were spared prison time.
Like his two colleagues, Dimitri Kesari was accused of conspiring to cause false campaign contribution reports to be filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The three men argued they broke no laws when they paid a video production company, which passed on $73,000 to former state Sen. Kent Sorenson. He dropped support for Michele Bachmann and endorsed Paul six days before the 2012 Iowa caucuses.
On Tuesday, campaign chairman Jesse Benton and manager John Tate were sentenced to two years' probation and six months of home confinement for the same crimes.
Kesari's attorney, Jesse Binnall says the judge found Kesari played more of a roll in arranging and concealing the payments to Sorenson.
The men plan to appeal their convictions.