Crimes and Courts

Arrest of Giuliani associates ensnares ‘Congressman 1’

Published

7 years ago

October 11, 2019

WASHINGTON (AP) — Businessmen with ties to Rudy Giuliani lobbied a U.S. congressman in 2018 for help ousting the American ambassador to Ukraine around the same time they committed to raising money for the lawmaker.

An indictment unsealed Thursday identified the lawmaker only as “Congressman 1.” But the donations described in the indictment match campaign finance reports for former Rep. Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican who lost his re-election bid in November 2018.

Sessions, who has been weighing a comeback, is not accused of any wrongdoing and denied Thursday that he was aware of what federal prosecutors allege was a coordinated effort to remove Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. Still, he now finds himself entangled in the impeachment investigation centered on President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine as well as Giuliani’s relationships in the former Soviet republic.

The indictment was made public Thursday following the arrest of two Florida businessmen with ties to Giuliani. It alleges that Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman leveraged a flurry of GOP political donations in a campaign to force Yovanovitch’s removal, an effort prosecutors say was aided by laundered foreign money.

Parnas and Fruman’s outsized political giving allowed the two relatively unknown entrepreneurs to quickly win access to the highest levels of the Republican Party — including face-to-face meetings with Trump at the White House and Mar-a-Lago.

On May 9, 2018, Parnas posted a photo of himself and his business partner David Correia with Sessions in his Capitol Hill office, with the caption “Hard at work !!”

Correia, and another man, a Ukrainian-born U.S. citizen named Andrew Kukushkin, are also charged in the case.

Later that same day, Sessions sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seeking Yovanovitch’s dismissal because he had “notice of concrete evidence” that she had “spoken privately and repeatedly about her disdain for the current Administration.”

Campaign finance records show Parnas and Fruman later contributed $2,700 apiece to Session’s campaign, the maximum allowed individual contribution.

Sessions said Thursday that he will vigorously defend himself against any allegations of wrongdoing.

“I was first approached by these individuals for a meeting about the strategic need for Ukraine to become energy independent,” Sessions said, according to a written statement. “There was no request in that meeting and I took no action.”

Sessions added that “several congressional colleagues” were the source of the allegations in his letter claiming that Yovanovitch had disparaged Trump, not Parnas and Fruman. He also sought to distance himself Giuliani, who he described as a friend of more than 30 years.

“I do not know what his business or legal activities in Ukraine have been,” the ex-congressman said of the president’s personal lawyer.

Though Parnas posted a May 2018 photo of himself with a smiling Trump during a private dinner at the White House also attended by Fruman, the president denied having any idea who the two arrested men are.

“I don’t know those gentlemen,” said Trump, speaking on the South Lawn of the White House. “Now it’s possible that I have a picture with them, because I have a picture with everybody…I don’t know them. I don’t know about them. I don’t know what they do. … Maybe they were clients of Rudy. You have to ask Rudy.”

A week after Parnas and Fruman visited Sessions in Washington, a company controlled by the pair, Global Energy Producers, gave $325,000 to a political action committee supporting President Donald Trump’s re-election bid, according to the committee’s financial disclosure reports.

The pair obtained the money for the contribution through a private loan and then funneled it through a complex series of wire transfers through multiple bank accounts. Prosecutors alleged the transactions were intended to illegally conceal the true source of the funds.

Tax documents filed by a nonprofit wing of America First Action in November 2018 show a handful of Trump allies held key positions at the group, including Texas GOP fundraiser Roy Bailey, a longtime Sessions political supporter who was the finance co-chairman of Trump’s inaugural committee. Bailey, a lobbyist, is also a longtime business partner of Giuliani’s.

Also serving in leadership roles at the Trump-aligned PAC were Tommy Hicks Jr., a Dallas investor and the current Republican National Committee co-chairman, as well as Nick Ayers, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence.

Four days after the $325,000 donation, Parnas posted a photo of himself and Fruman at an intimate “Power Breakfast!!!” with Hicks and Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, at the Beverly Hills Polo Lounge.

America First Action would go on to spend $3.1 million supporting Sessions failed re-election effort.

U.S. laws allow unlimited donations by corporate entities to so-called super PACS, political action committees that are required to act independently from candidates.

Columbia University Law professor Richard Briffault told the AP that loopholes in U.S. law make it harder to detect foreign actors trying to influence the U.S. political system by funneling money through shell companies to super PACS. In this case, the money trail was revealed through a lawsuit against Parnas that forced the release of transfers and banking records earlier this year.

“What makes this so dramatic is who these people are, their connection to Giuliani,” said Briffault, who studies campaign finance. “I think it’s a bombshell because of its connection to Ukraine and Trump.”

AP reported on Sunday that Parnas told associates at two meetings in March that Trump planned to oust Yovanovitch, a career diplomat with a reputation for fighting corruption, with someone more amenable to their business plans, according to four people, three of whom spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity over concerns of retaliation. At the time, Parnas and Fruman were pursuing a potentially lucrative deal to sell shiploads of liquefied natural gas from the United States to Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-owned gas giant.

In what appeared to be a coordinated media campaign early this year, conservative outlets blitzed Yovanovitch with stories claiming she had protected Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden from Ukrainian prosecutors.

Copies of some of these stories were later sent to the State Department stuffed in a manila envelope. Giuliani told The New York Times last week that the documents, which were recently provided to Congress by the State Department’s inspector general, were produced by a “professional investigator who works for my company.”

Yovanovitch was recalled to Washington in May, months before she had been scheduled to leave her post in Kyiv.

Crimes and Courts

Ben Crump Joins Nolan Wells Family, Dr. Jamal Bryant for Prayer Rally on What Would Have Been His 19th Birthday

Published

3 weeks ago

August 20, 2026

FNN NEWS

Family calls for release of official autopsy findings, transparency and answers surrounding death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells

BILOXI, Miss. (FNN NEWS) — National civil rights attorney Ben Crump joined the family of Nolan Xavier Wells and prominent faith leader Dr. Jamal Bryant on Wednesday for a prayer rally marking what would have been Wells’ 19th birthday.

The gathering at Greater St. John AME Church in Biloxi honored Wells’ life while amplifying his family’s continuing demands for answers, transparency and accountability surrounding his death.

FAMILY CONTINUES FIGHT FOR ANSWERS

Rather than celebrating Nolan’s 19th birthday with him, his family gathered with community members, faith leaders and advocates to remember his life and continue their pursuit of the truth about what happened to him.

The Wells family is calling for the release of the official autopsy findings and greater transparency from state investigators.

The rally provided the family with a public platform to keep attention focused on unanswered questions surrounding Nolan’s death while seeking support from the broader community.

BEN CRUMP JOINS FAMILY’S CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY

Crump’s participation brings national attention to the family’s search for answers.

The civil rights and personal injury attorney has represented families in numerous high-profile cases involving deaths, civil rights and allegations of government or institutional misconduct.

His appearance alongside the Wells family underscored their demand that authorities provide information needed to establish a clearer account of the circumstances surrounding Nolan’s death.

The family’s requests for transparency remain allegations and demands for information; authorities’ findings should be distinguished from claims that have not yet been independently established.

DR. JAMAL BRYANT LEADS FAITH COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT

Bryant joined Crump, the Wells family and community members as the gathering combined remembrance with prayer and calls for accountability.

The prominent pastor and civil rights advocate has frequently used his national platform to address social justice issues affecting Black communities.

The Biloxi gathering brought the legal, faith and local communities together around the Wells family’s effort to obtain answers.

A 19TH BIRTHDAY MARKED BY PRAYER

The timing of the rally carried particular significance for Nolan’s family.

Wednesday would have marked his 19th birthday.

Instead, family members and supporters gathered at the church to celebrate his memory and reinforce their commitment to finding out what happened.

The rally began at 7 p.m. CDT at Greater St. John AME Church, 551 Division St. in Biloxi.

CALL FOR AUTOPSY FINDINGS AND INVESTIGATIVE TRANSPARENCY

Central to the family’s demands is the release of Nolan’s official autopsy findings.

The family also wants state investigators to provide greater transparency regarding the investigation and the circumstances surrounding his death.

Until official findings are released, significant questions surrounding the case remain unresolved.

For Nolan’s family, Wednesday night’s gathering was both a memorial and a public declaration that their search for answers will continue.

What would have been a milestone birthday instead became a call for truth, transparency and accountability.

Crimes and Courts

Family of Corey Ruiz to Speak Publicly for First Time Alongside Attorney Ben Crump Following Fatal Madison Police Shooting

Published

2 months ago

July 24, 2026

FNN NEWS

MADISON, Wis. (July 24, 2026) — Nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump will join the family of Corey Ruiz at a news conference Saturday in Madison, where family members are expected to speak publicly for the first time since Ruiz was fatally shot by a Madison police officer.

Ruiz’s family, joined by attorneys Ben Crump, Steve Hart, and B’Ivory Lamarr, along with State Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D–Madison), is expected to call for a full, independent investigation into the shooting and seek accountability for the circumstances surrounding Ruiz’s death.

According to the Madison Police Department, Ruiz was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon during an encounter with officers at a busy intersection on the city’s near-east side. Police have stated that Ruiz allegedly produced a fixed-blade knife and injured an officer during a struggle before an officer discharged his firearm.

However, video recorded by a bystander and reported by the Wisconsin Examiner appears to show an officer stomping Ruiz while he was on the ground as the first gunshot was fired. The video has drawn increased public attention and renewed questions regarding the officers’ use of force during the incident.

The incident has also highlighted the fact that Madison police officers do not wear body cameras, prompting additional calls from community members and civil rights advocates for greater transparency and independent review.

Scheduled Speakers

Corey Ruiz’s family
Attorney Ben Crump
Attorney Steve Hart
Attorney B’Ivory Lamarr
State Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D–Madison)

The news conference is expected to address the family’s response to the shooting, outline the legal team’s next steps, and reiterate calls for an independent investigation into the incident.

Central Florida News

Orlando Police Arrest Three Following Shooting at West Lakes Apartment Complex

Published

2 months ago

July 10, 2026

FNN NEWS

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Orlando Police arrested three suspects Thursday following a shooting at the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments that led to a high-speed pursuit spanning Orange and Seminole counties.

Police said no injuries were reported despite multiple rounds being fired during the incident.

Shooting Reported at Apartment Complex

According to the Orlando Police Department (OPD), officers responded at approximately 3:50 p.m. Thursday, July 9, to the 2000 block of Orange Center Boulevard after receiving reports of gunfire at the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments.

During the investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance video showing occupants of a black sedan and a black SUV firing multiple rounds at two individuals riding scooters through the apartment complex.

Investigators said everyone involved fled the scene before officers arrived.

Police Locate Suspect Vehicles

Shortly after the shooting, Orlando officers located both suspect vehicles in the North Pine Hills area.

With assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), officers conducted a traffic stop on the black sedan and detained two suspects without incident.

Officers later located the black SUV and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop, triggering a police pursuit.

Helicopter Assists During Pursuit

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit tracked the fleeing SUV from the air while directing responding officers on the ground.

The pursuit ended in Altamonte Springs, where the driver stopped in front of a Burlington Coat Factory, abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot.

Orlando Police officers quickly apprehended the suspect.

Three Suspects Arrested

Police identified the suspects as:

Jacorey Lowery (DOB: July 8, 2006)

Charges:

Attempted Felony Murder (Firearm/Discharge)
Discharging a Firearm at Residential Property

Quincy Desponosse (DOB: April 21, 2008)

Charge:

Principal to Attempted First-Degree Murder

Semaj Blackshear

Charges:

Principal to Attempted Felony Murder with a Firearm
Fleeing and Eluding Law Enforcement at High Speed with Disregard for Public Safety or Property
Resisting an Officer Without Violence
Juvenile Violation of Probation