Decorated US Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage, an ex-associate of Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon, has been sentenced to more than four years in prison after admitting to conspiring to defraud donors to a campaign to build a wall along the US-Mexican border promised by the former president.

US District Judge Analisa Torres announced the 51-month sentence at a hearing in federal court in Manhattan after Kolfage, 41, pleaded guilty last year to misappropriating funds meant for the “We Build the Wall” campaign.

Andrew Badolato, 58, another former Bannon associate, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison at the same hearing.

“The fraud perpetrated by Mr Kolfage and Mr Badolato went well beyond ripping off individual donors,” Judge Torres told the hearing.

Kolfage, who lost his legs and right hand in a rocket attack in Iraq, and Badolato led the wall fundraising push alongside Mr Bannon, Mr Trump’s former campaign and White House strategist, who was also charged but received a presidential pardon from Mr Trump during the final hours of his term.

Kolfage spent big on luxury goods

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan had recommended that Kolfage spend 51 months in prison and Badolato 41 months.

Kolfage was accused of taking more than $US350,000 ($530,000) and spent it on boat payments, jewellery and cosmetic surgery.