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[Why is this guy not awaiting execution? Letting people who do this live only encourages others.]

It’s a plea bargain-type situation. My impression is that the prosecution lacked a smoking gun (i.e. evidence of communications with Chinese case officers that would have tied the case up neatly) for a guaranteed conviction and death sentence/life term.

On his part, guilty or not, he chose to do a plea bargain to avoid the possibility of a life term, or worse. Why would he plead out of a trial and the possibility of exoneration if he were innocent? Because he would need first class (i.e. very expensive) legal representation against the best of the DOJ in order to prevail.

The entire point of an innocent person fighting it out in court is to preserve your reputation. But, in this case, what if you lose? Then your reputation remains in tatters, and you face a life term, or worse.

Note that Manafort got, in effect, a life term for process crimes unrelated to “colluding” with the Russians, which isn’t even a crime in itself. And Flynn, who lacked adequate legal representation due to his financial situation, is similarly getting railroaded. Regardless of whether this alleged perp was guilty, his ability to avoid a life term depended on the quality of his legal counsel. Guilty or not, he may not have had the funds to be sure of avoiding the worst case legal outcome - a life term or the death penalty.