In the lead up to the sentencing delivery. Judge Jackson said "Gates' information alone warranted, indeed demanded further investigation from the standpoint of our national security, the integrity of our elections and the enforcement of our criminal laws," and noting that they did not cooperate with the special counsel and instead used encrypted apps to conceal digital communication.

"I believe he has in a very real way accepted responsibility for his actions," said Jackson of Gates. "He's been at this long enough and under such onerous circumstances that one can believe in the transformation." She added.

The special counsel's office had charged Gates and his former business partner, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, in 2017 with crimes including lying to the government about his foreign lobbying work in Ukraine, tax evasion and money laundering.

Gates subsequently struck a plea deal with Mueller prosecutors in late February 2018, pleading guilty to two felony counts: conspiracy against the U.S. and lying to federal authorities about a laundry list of items related to the work he and Manafort did in Ukraine.