The former lawyer of US President Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, has been sentenced to three years in prison.
He was sentenced in New York for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illicit payments to silence women who threatened Mr Trump's presidential campaign in 2016.
Prosecutors claimed Cohen paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels US$130,000 (€114,362) and helped to arrange a US$150,000 (€131,956) payment to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, so they would keep quiet about their past relationships with Mr Trump.
He denies having the affairs.
The payments violated campaign finance law.
However, Cohen's lawyers argued the defendant should be spared jail after he cooperated in multiple federal investigations involving the president.
But US District Judge William H Pauley III threw out their arguments and said the 52-year-old deserved a harsh punishment.
Cohen said his "blind loyalty" to the billionaire tycoon made him feel like he had a duty to "cover up" his "dirty deeds".
The lawyer's crimes included evading US$1.4m (€1.23m) in taxes and misleading US Congress about talks with Russians over a Trump skyscraper project in Moscow.
The US leader called for a tough sentence for Cohen, who he previously branded a liar.
Mr Pauley said Cohen's cooperation with investigations did not "wipe the slate clean" before adding that he "appears to have lost his moral compass".
The judge said the lawyer "should have known better" than to commit his crimes.
As part of Wednesday's sentence, Cohen was ordered to forfeit US$500,000 (€439,930) and repay almost US$1.4m (€1.23m).
Cohen, who once said he would "take a bullet" for Mr Trump, told prosecutors the payments were directed by Mr Trump, implicating the US leader in a possible campaign finance law violation.
US President Donald Trump, seen here speaking from the Oval Office in the White House, had branded Cohen 'a liar' | Image: Michael Reynolds/DPA/PA Images
"It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man [Mr Trump] that led me to choose a path of darkness over light," Cohen said during the hearing.
"I felt it was my duty to cover up his own dirty deeds."
The lying to Congress charge was brought by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 election and any possible collusion.
Mr Mueller previously released a sentencing memo concerning Cohen.
It said the lawyer committed a 'serious crime' by withholding information and lying to Congress - including about a proposed Trump-branded hotel project in Moscow.
However, it added that Cohen had taken 'significant steps to mitigate his criminal conduct'.
According to Mr Mueller's document, the lawyer provided information about his own contacts with Russian interests, as well as "information about attempts by other Russian nationals to reach the campaign".
In this courtroom sketch, Michael Cohen listens as he is sentenced in federal court in New York | Image: Elizabeth Williams/AP/Press Association Images
He is also said to have provided "relevant and useful" information about his contacts with people connected to the Trump White House in 2017 and 2018.
Meanwhile, US federal prosecutors submitted a separate memo ahead of his sentencing over four crimes - including tax evasion and making false statements to Congress.
The document highlighted that Cohen paid two women 'hush money' to remain quiet about alleged affairs with Mr Trump - claiming that the lawyer acted "in coordination with and at the direction" of Mr Trump himself.
The prosecutors had claimed a 'substantial' prison term was warranted, and that the lawyer's calls for no prison time other than 'time served' were 'meritless'.
Mr Trump denies any collusion with Moscow.
Cohen must now hand himself in on March 6th to start his sentence.
