- Two ex-business associates of President Donald Trump’s former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn have been indicated
- The charges come out of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation
- Bijan Kian, Flynn’s Number 2 at his lobbying firm, and Turkish businessman Ekim Alptekin were charged with a conspiracy to violate federal lobbying rules
- The indictments are part of Mueller’s broader crackdown on foreign lobbying
- Kian was arrested and released on bond
- Alptekin is in Turkey and there is a warrant out for his arrest
Two ex-business associates of President Donald Trump’s former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn were indicted on Monday by special counsel Robert Mueller as a result of his Russia investigation.
Bijan Kian, who was the Number 2 at Flynn’s lobbying firm, and Turkish businessman Ekim Alptekin were charged with a conspiracy to violate federal lobbying rules.
The charges come out of Mueller’s look into Turkey’s secret lobbying campaign to pressure the United States to expel a rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Additionally, Flynn is believed to have played a role in this probe. The special counsel has praised the former Trump administration official for his ‘substantial help’ in several investigations. It is believed this is one of them.
Bijan Kian (left) and Turkish businessman Ekim Alptekin (right) were indicted for their work with former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn on a lobbying project for Turkey
Kian was in federal court Monday morning and was released on bond
On Monday, Kian also was indicted on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent. He appeared in federal court and is out on bond.
Alptekin stands accused of directing and funding Kian and Flynn’s work, and then lying in U.S. filings about his role. He faces additional charges of making false statements to the FBI.
He remains in Turkey but there is a warrant for his arrest.
