New charges are likely against Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, two associates of Rudy Giuliani who were indicted for campaign finance crimes, prosecutors said Monday. Parnas and Fruman already are charged in a scheme to skirt campaign finance laws as part of a plot to oust the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. A new indictment could include additional charges or additional defendants, said federal prosecutor Douglas Zolkind in Manhattan, Politico reports. The two men were arrested in October and charged with illegally routing hundreds of thousands of dollars into U.S. politics, including money given to a super PAC supporting President Donald Trump.
The charges stem in part from an effort the two men worked on with Giuliani to spread negative information about the then-U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, with the goal of getting her ousted. They’re also accused in a separate scheme of using political donations to obtain licenses for a planned marijuana venture. At a hearing Monday, Judge J. Paul Oetken said he plans to allow Parnas, a Ukrainian-born businessman, to turn over evidence to Congress in response to a subpoena from the House Intelligence Committee. Parnas, who is under house arrest in Florida, appeared in court Monday. Fruman was granted permission not to appear. The next court date was set for Feb. 3.