https://ift.tt/fKVzcXD Russian tycoon whose name arose prominently in the illegal political contribution case against two associates of Rudy Giuliani was secretly charged with conspiracy in a New York court, prosecutors revealed Monday.
Conspiracy and illegal campaign contribution charges that were lodged against Andrey Muraviev in September 2020 in Manhattan federal court were unsealed by prosecutors who told a judge that the businessman was not in custody and was believed to be in Russia.
An indictment returned against Muraviev in September said some of Muraviev’s money was used for political contributions and donations aimed at launching a business to acquire U.S. retail cannabis and marijuana licenses, but the source of the funds was disguised as coming from the Giuliani associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Muraviev “attempted to influence the 2018 elections by conspiring to push a million dollars of his foreign funds to candidates and campaigns. He attempted to corrupt our political system to advance his business interests.”
The release described Muraviev as a “Russian oligarch.”
Michael J. Driscoll, head of New York’s FBI office, said Muraviev conspired with Parnas, Fruman and Andrey Kukushkin to make illegal contributions.
“The money Muraviev injected into our political system, as alleged, was directed to politicians with views favorable to his business interests and those of his co-conspirators,” Driscoll said. “As today’s action demonstrates, we will continue to aggressively pursue all those who seek to illegally effect our nation’s elections.”
Parnas and Fruman were involved in Giuliani’s unsuccessful efforts to get Ukrainian officials to investigate Joe Biden’s son during Biden’s campaign for president.