Russell Adler -- Scott Rothstein Partner and Charlie Crist Bundler -- Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years

Russell Adler, third partner in the Fort Lauderdale law firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, ground zero for the $1.4 billion Ponzi scheme that destroyed dozens of investors' lives, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison Friday.

Last week he was disbarred for life.

The Sun-Sentinel reports that Adler, a lifelong Democrat, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate federal election laws and fraud by bundling more than $200,000 worth of donations to John McCain's presidential campaign and then-Gov. Charlie Crist's Senate race in 2008. Both campaigns have said they had no knowledge of any of Rothstein's wrongdoing.

Ponzi scheme mastermind Scott Rothstein asked Adler and other law firm workers to make donations to his chosen campaigns and then illegally reimbursed them by paying them what he called bonuses.

Rothstein, 52, is serving 50 years in federal prison.

Earlier this month, the law firm's middle-named partner, Stuart Rosenfeldt, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud, make illegal political campaign donations and violate civil rights. He faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced in September.

Authorities say Rothstein used the bundled political donations to "cloak" himself in respectability.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence LaVecchio told the Sun-Sentinel, "Rothstein was able to buy access, he was able to buy influence. He was able to get people like John McCain and Charlie Crist to his house."