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David Correia, Who Was Indicted With Giuliani Associates, Is Arrested David Correia, Who Was Indicted With Giuliani Associates, Is Arrested
(about 4 hours later)
David Correia, who was charged last week in a campaign finance scheme along with two longtime associates of President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, was arrested Wednesday, officials said.David Correia, who was charged last week in a campaign finance scheme along with two longtime associates of President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, was arrested Wednesday, officials said.
Mr. Correia, 44, surrendered to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 10:30 a.m. at Kennedy International Airport, after he returned from a foreign country, officials said.Mr. Correia, 44, surrendered to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 10:30 a.m. at Kennedy International Airport, after he returned from a foreign country, officials said.
He had been charged, in a federal indictment unsealed last week, with participating in a conspiracy to conceal the source of hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions that came from overseas donors. He had been charged in a federal indictment unsealed last week with participating in a conspiracy to conceal the source of hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions that came from overseas donors.
Two of the other defendants in the case, Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas, have aided Mr. Trump’s efforts to gather damaging information in Ukraine about his political opponents. They were also arrested last week at an airport, with one-way tickets to Frankfurt.Two of the other defendants in the case, Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas, have aided Mr. Trump’s efforts to gather damaging information in Ukraine about his political opponents. They were also arrested last week at an airport, with one-way tickets to Frankfurt.
The indictment, filed in the Southern District of New York, revealed new information about the attempt to pressure Ukraine, which is the focus of the impeachment inquiry that House Democrats opened last month.The indictment, filed in the Southern District of New York, revealed new information about the attempt to pressure Ukraine, which is the focus of the impeachment inquiry that House Democrats opened last month.
Mr. Trump has continued to defend the effort and has tried to discredit the impeachment inquiry. But the indictment and criminal case signaled growing legal exposure for those connected to the foreign policy push that Mr. Giuliani conducted in Mr. Trump’s interest.Mr. Trump has continued to defend the effort and has tried to discredit the impeachment inquiry. But the indictment and criminal case signaled growing legal exposure for those connected to the foreign policy push that Mr. Giuliani conducted in Mr. Trump’s interest.
The indictment directly connected Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman, two of Mr. Giuliani’s associates, to an attempt to recall the United States ambassador to Ukraine, Marie L. Yovanovitch, who became a focus of criticism from many of Mr. Trump’s allies.The indictment directly connected Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman, two of Mr. Giuliani’s associates, to an attempt to recall the United States ambassador to Ukraine, Marie L. Yovanovitch, who became a focus of criticism from many of Mr. Trump’s allies.
Federal prosecutors are also investigating whether Mr. Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings with Ukraine, according to people familiar with the inquiry. Mr. Giuliani has denied wrongdoing but has acknowledged that he and associates worked with Ukrainian officials to gather potentially damaging information about Ms. Yovanovitch and other Trump targets.Federal prosecutors are also investigating whether Mr. Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings with Ukraine, according to people familiar with the inquiry. Mr. Giuliani has denied wrongdoing but has acknowledged that he and associates worked with Ukrainian officials to gather potentially damaging information about Ms. Yovanovitch and other Trump targets.
Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman donated money and pledged to raise additional funds in 2018 — some violating legal limits — for a congressman who was then enlisted in the campaign to oust her, court documents showed. Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman donated money and pledged to raise additional funds —some violating legal limits — in 2018 for a congressman who was then enlisted in the campaign to oust her, court documents showed.
Campaign finance filings identify the congressman as former Representative Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican. In 2018, Mr. Sessions wrote a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying that Ms. Yovanovitch should be fired for privately expressing “disdain” for Mr. Trump’s administration.Campaign finance filings identify the congressman as former Representative Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican. In 2018, Mr. Sessions wrote a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying that Ms. Yovanovitch should be fired for privately expressing “disdain” for Mr. Trump’s administration.
On Wednesday, a spokesman for Mr. Sessions, Matt Mackowiak, said in a statement that Mr. Sessions was cooperating with federal prosecutors and that he would be providing documents to the United States attorney’s office “over the next couple of weeks as requested.”On Wednesday, a spokesman for Mr. Sessions, Matt Mackowiak, said in a statement that Mr. Sessions was cooperating with federal prosecutors and that he would be providing documents to the United States attorney’s office “over the next couple of weeks as requested.”
Mr. Correia was not directly linked to the part of the case involving Mr. Sessions, but federal prosecutors connected him to larger efforts by Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman to skirt bans on foreign donations to elections.Mr. Correia was not directly linked to the part of the case involving Mr. Sessions, but federal prosecutors connected him to larger efforts by Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman to skirt bans on foreign donations to elections.
In court papers, the men were accused of funneling money from an unnamed Russian donor to state and federal candidates in exchange for potential influence, according to court documents. In court papers, the men, along with another defendant, Andrey Kukushkin, were accused of funneling money from an unnamed Russian donor to state and federal candidates in exchange for potential influence, according to court documents.
The men wanted to set up recreational marijuana businesses in Nevada and other states, and were seeking political help to get access to the necessary licenses. The men wanted to set up recreational marijuana businesses in Nevada and other states and were seeking political help to get access to the necessary licenses.
Mr. Correia, a Florida resident, has been linked to Mr. Parnas since as early as 2012, when he was listed as the secretary of a company called Parnas Holdings, according to Florida records.Mr. Correia, a Florida resident, has been linked to Mr. Parnas since as early as 2012, when he was listed as the secretary of a company called Parnas Holdings, according to Florida records.
Mr. Correia had been overseas when the charges were unsealed on Thursday. His surrender had been arranged by his lawyer and the prosecutors in the case, an official said. At a hearing on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan, Mr. Correia, dressed in a black polo shirt and jeans, was released on a $250,000 bond.
One of his lawyers, Jeffrey Marcus, said during the proceeding that Mr. Correia had been traveling in the Middle East when the charges against him were unsealed.
Mr. Marcus, who is representing Mr. Correia with William J. Harrington, contacted prosecutors to arrange his client’s surrender, he said.
Both Mr. Correia and Mr. Kukushkin are scheduled to appear in court on Thursday for an arraignment. Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman are set to be arraigned next week.