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Prosecutors say Ukraine-born Lev Parnas and Belarus-born Igor
Fruman in 2018 used a shell company to donate $325,000 to the
committee, America First Action, and that they raised money for
former Texas Congressman Pete Sessions as part of an effort to
have the Republican president remove the U.S. ambassador to
Ukraine.
Their arraignment before U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken in
Manhattan comes as federal prosecutors are examining Giuliani's
interactions with Parnas and Fruman.
Giuliani has denied wrongdoing.
Parnas and Fruman's arrest at a Washington-area airport earlier
this month was yet another political hazard for Trump amid a
fast-moving impeachment inquiry by the Democratic-led U.S. House
of Representatives.
The inquiry is centered on the Republican president’s request in
a July phone call for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to
investigate former Vice President Biden, a top contender for the
2020 Democratic presidential nomination. The request came after
Trump had withheld $391 million in security aid to Ukraine,
which he later released.
Democrats have accused Trump of pressuring a vulnerable foreign
ally to dig up dirt on a domestic political opponent for his own
political benefit.
Giuliani has said Parnas and Fruman helped his efforts in
Ukraine to investigate Biden and Biden’s son Hunter. The younger
Biden had served as a director of a Ukrainian energy company.
Parnas and Fruman have been asked, as part of the impeachment
inquiry, to produce documents and give testimony.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has described the impeachment
probe as a partisan smear.
Prosecutors say Parnas and Fruman committed to raise $20,000 for
Sessions as part of an effort to get Trump to remove U.S.
Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
That effort was carried out at the request of at least one
Ukrainian official, prosecutors said.
Trump ordered Yovanovitch removed in May. Yovanovitch testified
in the House impeachment inquiry on Oct. 11.
Prosecutors said Parnas and Fruman funneled money from an
unnamed Russian businessman to political candidates in several
states in order to help the businessman obtain permits needed
for a proposed marijuana business, which never came to fruition.
U.S. law prohibits foreign donations to political campaigns.
Parnas and Fruman were each charged with two counts of
conspiracy, one count of false statements and one of
falsification of business records.
Two other men charged in the marijuana business scheme, Andrey
Kukushkin and David Correia, pleaded not guilty last Thursday.
(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Noeleen
Walder and Bill Berkrot)
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