Ex-Rudy Giuliani Associate, Lev Parnas, was found Guilty, by a Manhattan Jury Friday, of Violating Campaign Finance Laws during a Bid to Launch a Weed Business and curry Favor with Trump and other Republican Big Shots.

Parnas, whose 2019 Ukraine Dealings with Giuliani, helped trigger Trump’s First Impeachment, Conspired to Illegally Funnel $1 Million to U.S. Politicians, he and his Business Partners thought could help them obtain Licenses to Sell Recreational Marijuana.

The Pot plot amounted to a Crime because Paranas and his Crew, Bankrolled it with Cash from Wealthy Russian Tycoon, Andrey Muraviev, in Violation of Laws barring Political Contributions from Foreigners. Muraviev was Not Charged in the Case, but Andrey Kukushkin, an Intermediary for the Russian, was also Convicted by the Jury, of Helping in the Failed Cannabis Venture.

Parnas, 49, was also found Guilty of Facilitating a set of Illegal Political Contributions to Right-Wing Causes that included a $325,000 Donation to America First Action, a Pro-Trump super PAC.

The Nine-day Trial showed Parnas was able to insert himself into the Highest Echelons of the GOP, attending multiple Private Dinners with Trump, by simply promising to Contribute Large Amounts of Money to Prominent Organizations and Pols such as former Nevada Attorney General, Adam Laxalt, and Texas Rep. Pete Sessions.

Parnas’ enthusiasm for Marijuana Legalization, which is Not supported by the Mainstream GOP, didn’t Stop Politicians from Courting the Soviet-born Businessman for Cash, Testimony at his Trial Revealed. “(I was) really kind of bombarding him,” testified Laxalt, a Conservative. Parnas pledged $200,000 for Laxalt’s Failed 2018 Nevada Gubernatorial Campaign.

Igor Fruman, Parnas’ former Friend and Business Partner, who worked closely with him on the Cannabis Operation, pleaded Quilty in September to Charges related to the Scheme. Despite their High-Rolling Antics, Parnas and his Entourage Failed to make good on most of their hefty Pledges.

While telling Muraviev that they would use his $1 Million for Marijuana-related Campaign Donations, Prosecutors say Parnas and Fruman actually only steered about $100,000 to Political Candidates. The rest of the Money, the Feds say, Parnas and Fruman used to Pay-Off Credit Card Debt and Bankroll their Lavish Lifestyles. Meanwhile, the Donations Parnas and Fruman actually made often ended up being Returned.

Laxalt, who only received $10,000 from the Duo, testified that his Campaign rescinded the Donation within days of receiving it because his Finance Team deemed it Suspicious. After that, Laxalt said he began thinking of Parnas as “a clownish guy with a gold chain.” “Politics has an entire lot of characters,” he testified.

The $325,000 Donation to American First Action, made in March 2018 weeks before Parnas met with Trump at his Frivate Florida Club, was Illegal because he issued it in the Name of his Business, Global Energy Producers (GEP), when the Money actually came from a Private Loan taken out by Fruman.

Parnas and Fruman, were at the time, seeking Oil Deals in Europe for their Nascent Energy Company, and Prosecutors said they wanted to “make it appear that GEP was a successful business” by forking over the Dough to the super PAC.

When Parnas and Fruman were first Arrested in October 2019, they were best known for helping Trump and Giuliani Pressure Ukrainian Government Officials to produce Political Dirt on then-Presidential Candidate Biden ahead of the 2020 Election.

Initially, the Case against Parnas and Fruman overlapped with the Ukraine Scandal, as the Feds Charged that some of their Donations were Committed in an effort to drum up Support for Removing the U.S. Ambassador to the European Country because she had raised Concern about the Biden Smear.

The Ambassador, Marie Yovanovitch, was eventually Removed by Trump, a Key Episode in his First Impeachment, raising the Specter that Parnas’ Trial could shed more light on that Shadowy Chapter of Trump's Term.

But before Parnas went on Trial, the Feds filed a Superseding Indictment scrubbing All References to Yovanovitch.

Prosecutors also rarely Mentioned Trump and Giuliani at Trial, telling the Court that they wanted to “streamline” the Case.

Parnas, who broke Publicly, with Giuliani and Trump, in the wake of his Arrest and has expressed Remorse about helping them in Ukraine, initially wanted to Testify in his Own Defense at his Trial, according to his Lawyer, Joseph Bondy. But Bondy withdrew Parnas’ Plan for Testimony after Prosecutors said they would Grill him on his Role in Trump’s Ukraine Caper.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker