Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Giuliani associates accused of funneling money to pro-Trump group plead not guilty
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 23 - 10 - 2019

Two foreign-born Florida businessmen who helped President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani investigate political rival Joe Biden pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to illegally funneling money to a pro-Trump election committee and other politicians.
Ukraine-born Lev Parnas and Belarus-born Igor Fruman entered their not guilty pleas to federal campaign finance charges before US District Judge Paul Oetken in Manhattan.
Federal prosecutors have accused Parnas and Fruman of using a shell company to donate $325,000 to the pro-Trump committee, America First Action, and raising money for former Texas Congressman Pete Sessions as part of an effort to have the Republican president remove the US ambassador to Ukraine.
Prosecutors are examining Giuliani's interactions with Parnas and Fruman, according to a source familiar with the matter.
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 US 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 US 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. US 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. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.