LAWYER SAYS RICHARD CHICHAKLI REJECTED SHORTER SENTENCE IN PLEA BARGAIN OFFERED

It may help readers to better understand why Richard Chichakli is pursuing the appeal of his Federal criminal conviction & sentence for violating sanctions: he believes that he is innocent. Chichakli was offered, at first, 38-42 months for a guilty plea, and later, according to his Russian attorney Aleksei Binetsky, a sentence for half that amount. He declined, and demanded a jury trial.

You may recall that he acted as his own attorney in that trial, where a number of the witnesses he requested were not allowed by the Court. Binetsky stated that, has co-defendant Viktor Bout appeared, his testimony would have been favorable to the defense. Bout could not be tried at that tie, because he was extradited solely for another case, and US law prohibits an extradited individual from being tried for any case other than the one he was brought to America for.

Ultimately, after trial, and a guilty verdict, Richard Chichakli was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, plus two years Supervised Release, $70,000 Restitution, a final judgment of $1.7m, and a Special Assessment of $900. His case is pending before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.