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A26 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 14 May 2020
Paul Manafort released from prison due to virus concerns

By MICHAEL BALSAMO only identifying high pro-
Associated Press file white collar inmates for
WASHINGTON (AP) — Paul home confinement, is ab-
Manafort, Donald Trump's surd." A Bureau of Prisons
onetime presidential cam- spokeswoman said more
paign chairman who was than 2,400 inmates have
convicted as part of the been moved to home
special counsel's Russia in- confinement since March
vestigation, has been re- 26, when Barr first issued a
leased from federal prison home confinement memo,
to serve the rest of his sen- and more than 1,200 others
tence in home confine- have been approved and
ment due to concerns are in the pipeline to be re-
about the coronavirus, his leased. But prisons officials
lawyer said Wednesday. will not give out any demo-
Manafort, 71, was let out graphic information.
Wednesday morning from The bureau has given con-
FCI Loretto, a low-security tradictory and confusing
prison in Pennsylvania, ac- guidance how it is deciding
cording to his attorney, who is released to home
Todd Blanche. Manafort, confinement in an effort to
jailed since June 2018, had combat the virus, chang-
been serving more than ing requirements, setting
seven years in prison follow- up inmates for release and
ing his conviction. backing off and refusing to
His release comes as prison explain how it decides who
advocates and congres- gets out and when.
sional leaders have been Attorney General William
pressing the Justice De- Barr ordered the agenc
partment for weeks to re- In this June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. y in March and April to in-
lease at-risk inmates before Associated Press crease the use of home
a potential outbreak in the confinement and expedite
system. They argue that the who have served half of preexisting medical condi- sonal lawyer Michael Co- the release of eligible high-
public health guidance their sentence or inmates tions. Manafort was hospi- hen and lawyer Michael risk inmates, beginning at
to stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) with 18 months or less left talized in December with Avenatti, who rose to fame three prisons identified as
away from other people is and who served at least a heart-related condition, representing porn star coronavirus hot spots. There
nearly impossible behind 25% of their time. The bu- two people familiar with Stormy Daniels in lawsuits are no confirmed coronavi-
bars. reau has discretion about the matter told The Asso- against Trump, have been rus cases at FCI Loretto.
But Manafort did not meet who can be released. ciated Press at the time. told they are getting out. As of Tuesday, 2,818 fed-
qualifications set by the Bu- His lawyers had asked the They were not authorized Kathy Hawk Sawyer, a se- eral inmates and 262 BOP
reau of Prisons for potential Bureau of Prisons to re- to discuss the matter pub- nior adviser at the Bureau staff members had positive
release in the pandemic. lease him to home confine- licly and spoke to the AP on of Prisons who formerly led test results for COVID-19 at
Under the bureau's guide- ment, arguing that he was condition of anonymity. the agency, said in an in- federal prisons across the
lines, priority is supposed to at high risk for coronavirus Other high-profile inmates terview in late April that country. Fifty inmates had
be given to those inmates because of his age and such as Trump's former per- to "suggest that we are died.q

U.S. says Chinese hackers might be

targeting virus researchers

institutions and companies guidance for those who their efforts related to CO-
involved in work on vac- may be targeted." VID-19, the disease caused
cines, treatments and test- It comes amid heightened by the coronavirus, should
ing for the novel coronavi- tensions between the two assume that they would be
rus should take additional countries over the source targeted and should take
security measures to pro- of the outbreak and Trump precautions, the Depart-
tect data and be aware of administration complaints ment of Justice said.
the potential threat. that China did not ade- "The potential theft of this
"China's efforts to target quately alert the world to information jeopardizes
In this March 22, 2019 file photo, an American flag flies outside these sectors pose a signifi- the danger posed by the the delivery of secure, ef-
the Department of Justice in Washington. cant threat to our nation's new coronavirus. fective, and efficient treat-
Associated Press response to COVID-19," The warning also echoes ment options," it said.
said a statement from the long-standing U.S. com- The FBI and the cybersecu-
By BEN FOX Chinese government, ac- U.S. Cybersecurity and In- plaints that China has en- rity agency said they were
Associated Press cording to the FBI and the frastructure Security Agen- gaged in the wholesale issuing the alert to raise
WASHINGTON (AP) — Or- Department of Homeland cy. "This announcement is theft of technology and public awareness of the
ganizations conducting Security. intended to raise aware- trade secrets to build its potential threat and said
research into COVID-19 Neither agency cited any ness for research institutions economy. additional technical details
may be targeted by com- specific examples Wednes- and the American public Institutions that have re- would be released in the
puter hackers linked to the day, but they warned that and provide resources and ceived media attention for coming days. q