The prison where President Trump’s former campaign chief Paul Manafort was incarcerated had no reported cases of the coronavirus, but he was released regardless.
Manafort was released Wednesday over fears that he could contract the virus. He was expected to be released from prison in November 2024 but will now serve out the rest of his seven-year sentence in home confinement.
His lawyer, Kevin Downing, requested the early release last month, saying Manafort had health problems, including high blood pressure, liver disease, and respiratory issues. He was hospitalized in December for heart problems. At age 71, Manafort is also in an age group considered to be more susceptible to the virus.
“Mr. Manafort is at a high risk of contracting COVID-19 at FCI Loretto due to his age and pre-existing health conditions, and it is imperative that Mr. Manafort be transferred to home confinement immediately in order to minimize the likelihood of Mr. Manafort contracting or spreading the potentially fatal disease,” Downing wrote.
