Lev Parnas, former Giuliani associate, sentenced on fraud charges

NEW YORK — Lev Parnas, a former associate of Rudy Giuliani, was sentenced to 20 months in prison Wednesday for defrauding investors in travel a sham company and for illegally making donations to U.S. political candidates on behalf of a Russian businessman. He personally pocketed $2 million.
Parnas was affiliated with Giuliani while working on President Donald Trump’s behalf to seek incriminating information on Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine before the 2020 election.
Although federal prosecutors in New York also have been investigating Giuliani for his dealings in Ukraine during that time period, he has not been charged.
Parnas and another man, Igor Fruman, were discussed at Trump’s first impeachment trial, which focused on the then-president’s alleged campaign to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce an investigation into the Bidens.
The Republican majority in the Senate acquitted Trump of wrongdoing. This is a developing story. It will be updated.