On January 17, 2025, United States District Judge Nicholas Garaufis delivered a decisive judgment in the Eastern District of New York. He sentenced Manuel Chang to 102 months in federal prison. This term of eight and a half years concludes a decade-long saga of financial subterfuge that crippled the Mozambican economy. The sentence responds to Chang’s conviction in August 2024 on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. These crimes facilitated the $2 billion "hidden debts" scandal. Judge Garaufis rejected the defense's request for time served. He also declined the prosecution's recommendation of 11 to 14 years. The 102-month ruling serves as a calculated median between the federal sentencing guidelines and the mitigating factors of Chang's deteriorating health.

The sentencing calculus reveals a specific judicial logic. Federal guidelines suggested a term between 135 and 168 months based on the scale of the fraud. Prosecutors argued for the upper end of this spectrum. They cited the "brazen misconduct" of a finance minister who sold his nation's solvency for personal gain. Chang's defense team leveraged his age of 69 and chronic ailments including diabetes and kidney disease. They argued that his six years of pre-trial detention in South Africa and the United States constituted sufficient punishment. Judge Garaufis acknowledged these health concerns but prioritized the severity of the breach of public trust. He ordered the forfeiture of $7 million. This sum represents the exact bribe amount Chang pocketed for signing the illicit loan guarantees.