Michael Flynn, who briefly served as national security advisor in the Trump Administration in 2017, has yet to be sentenced for making false statements to the FBI — a crime he pled guilty to as part of his agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller. But a hearing that took place in a courtroom in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday morning indicated that the DOJ could have a lot more information on Flynn. And it involves secretly doing work for the Turkish government.
Previously, Flynn admitted to filing false lobbying disclosure forms regarding work that his company, the Flynn Intel Group, did for Turkey in 2016. But the hearing on Friday, according to CNN, indicated that federal authorities believe Flynn had a deeper involvement with the Turkish government.
The report explained:
Flynn has previously only admitted publicly to filing false foreign lobbying disclosure documents regarding work for Turkey done by his lobbying group the Flynn Intel Group in 2016.Prosecutors wrote to lawyers for Flynn’s ex-lobbying partner Bijan Kian that the US government was “in possession of multiple, independent pieces of information relating to the Turkish government’s efforts to influence United States policy on Turkey and Fethullah Gulen, including information relating to communications, interactions, and a relationship between Ekim Alptekin and Michael Flynn, and Ekim Alptekin’s engagement of Michael Flynn because of Michael Flynn’s relationship with an ongoing presidential campaign, without any reference to the defendant of FIG.”
Flynn was an adviser to Trump’s 2016 campaign before joining the White House.
Mark MacDougall, attorney for Flynn’s former lobbying partner, Bijan Kian, indicated in the courtroom that information newly revealed about Flynn may be classified. But Flynn’s attorney, Sidney Powell, was critical of the latest accusation against his client.
Powell, in response, asserted, “We have no idea what the government is talking about. It smacks of desperation.”
Powell went on to say, “Whatever it is, it cannot be new information to the prosecution. And it was only a few months ago prosecutors recommended probation for him.”
Flynn is among the Trump associates who was caught up in Mueller’s Russia investigation. After Flynn admitted to lying to the FBI and agreed to a plea deal, Kian was charged with illegally lobbying for the Turkish government. Kian’s trial is set to begin on Monday.
