Giuliani Associates Due in Court       10/23 06:17

   NEW YORK (AP) -- Two associates of Rudy Giuliani are to be arraigned 
Wednesday on charges they used straw donors to make illegal campaign 
contributions to politicians and committees to advance their business interests.

   Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman were expected to plead not guilty in federal 
court in Manhattan in a case that's cast a harsh light on the business dealings 
of President Donald Trump's personal lawyer.

   Prosecutors say Parnas and Fruman made donations while lobbying U.S. 
politicians to oust the country's ambassador to Ukraine. Giuliani --- who at 
the time was trying to get Ukrainian officials to investigate the son of 
Trump's potential Democratic challenger, Joe Biden --- has said he knew nothing 
about the donations.

   Prosecutors say Parnas and Fruman worked with two other men, David Correia 
and Andrey Kukushkin, in a separate scheme to make illegal campaign donations 
to politicians in several states in an attempt to get support for a new 
recreational marijuana business.

   Correia and Kukushkin pleaded not guilty last week at a hearing where 
prosecutor said evidence includes data from over 50 bank accounts and 
information gathered through 10 search warrants. The prosecutor told the judge 
that the government's investigation is ongoing.

   All the defendants are U.S. citizens, but Kukushkin and Parnas were born in 
Ukraine and Fruman in Belarus. All are free on bail.


(KR)