Chicago prosecutors suspect there might be a broader relationship among Firtash, Parnas and Fruman, the people familiar with the matter said. In an interview last week, Giuliani called Firtash an “interesting” guy but said he never met him or worked on his behalf. Fighting extraditionEarlier this year, Giuliani expressed disdain for Firtash, asserting that the wealthy Ukrainian had ties to the Russian mob. In a 2017 court filing, U.S. federal prosecutors alleged that Firtash had ties to the “upper echelons” of Russian organized crime. At the same time, Parnas and Fruman began touting their close ties to Giuliani as they pursued their own business interests.

Source: Washington Post October 23, 2019 00:25 UTC