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WASHINGTON – Federal prosecutors in Virginia are investigating a secret lobby in Turkey to which Michael T. Flynn, the former National National Security Advisor, had previously participated, even as Mr. Flynn's role in Special investigator's investigation ends, according to people close to the case.
The special advocate, Robert S. Mueller III, handled the case and at one point sent it back to the Alexandria prosecutors in Virginia, who had opened the investigation, said the officials. A former national security prosecutor oversees the case, and a grand jury has been set up to hear the evidence.
Mueller's attorneys apparently referred to the investigation in documents released Tuesday that listed Mr. Flynn's cooperation in Russia. investigation. The heavily redacted documents have created an air of mystery about Mr. Flynn's "substantial help" in several unspecified but ongoing investigations. Prosecutors cited Mr Flynn's assistance as a leniency when a judge sentenced him on 18 December.
The case concerning Turkey seems to be part of these investigations, since Mr. Flynn has a direct knowledge of the aspects under consideration. Prosecutors are reviewing former Flynn business partners and clients who had funded a campaign against Fethullah Gulen, a Pennsylvanian cleric, who has been accused by the Turkish government of helping to incite an unsuccessful coup. Mueller's attorneys also mentioned Mr. Flynn's help in their own investigation and in a third case. Details about this were masked in court documents. It was therefore unclear whether Mr. Mueller's team was describing additional details of his own investigation, which also included a consideration of whether President Trump had attempted to obstruct it; citing investigations, he referred to federal prosecutors' offices, such as the Manhattan case against Trump's personal attorney, Michael D. Cohen; or describing a third investigation unknown to the public.
[ What we know so far about the special advocate's attorneys and the cases they have pursued .]
Mr. Flynn Pleaded guilty last year for lying to FBI his agents with his ambassadors from Russia to Washington. Prosecutors asked Judge Emmet G. Sullivan of the US District Court to sentence Mr. Flynn to very little jail time, noting that his military service of more than 33 years and his public record "the distinguish from all others ".
Federal prosecutors had opened an investigation into Mr. Flynn after he had written an editorial for The Hill newspaper on election day 2016 attacking Mr. Gulen as a "radical Islamist" and "Shady Islamist". Mullah. Prosecutors began to examine whether Mr. Flynn was working as a paid lobbyist for Turkey.
Investigators later learned that this editorial was part of a larger effort by Mr. Flynn on behalf of Turkey. Mr. Flynn's company was eventually paid $ 530,000 to investigate Mr. Gulen by a company headed by Ekim Alptekin, a Turkish businessman close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
As part of his work for Turkey, Mr. Flynn's company sought to persuade members of Congress that Mr. Gulen was to be extradited. Mr. Flynn also commissioned a lengthy brief entitled "Fethullah Gulen: An Introductory Guide for Investigators", which was written by Thomas Neer, a former FBI director. agent.
million. Mueller took over this aspect of the investigation in 2017.
A spokesman for Mr. Mueller declined to comment. A spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Virginia did not respond to a message asking for comments.
Many details of the Virginia case investigation are unclear, but it might be a question of whether a person associated with Mr. Flynn or his company is safe. is not consistent with the registration of foreign agents. Law, the law requiring the Ministry of Justice to disclose lobbying facts on behalf of foreign interests.
million. Flynn confessed to prosecutors last year that he had violated this law several times. He had stated that he had written this editorial on his own, concealing that he had done it under the leadership of Turkey. On Tuesday, prosecutors of Mr. Mueller's team wrote that Flynn's letter of opinion "was invaluable for the efforts of the Republic of Turkey to shape public opinion".
In 2017, Mr. Flynn and his associate, Bijan Kian, filed additional information on lobbying, recognizing that the Gulen project "could be interpreted as having mainly benefited the Republic of Turkey", detailed payments made to a dozen other people and companies associated with the Gulen project.
Prosecutors could also investigate information that Mr. Flynn spoke of the kidnapping of the cleric as part of a plan to forcibly return him to Turkey. Mr. Flynn's lawyer denied that his client was planning to kidnap Mr. Gulen
Last year, Mr. Alptekin told the New York Times that he wanted to hire a credible US company to carry out a campaign of influence against the Gulenists. He said Mr. Kian had suggested Mr. Flynn's company, the Flynn Intel group.
"You need self-employment. you need a search done by Americans, "said Mr. Alptekin during an interview.
Kian's lawyer declined to comment.
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