Indicted Giuliani Associates In Pictures With Florida Governor Ron DeSantis At Election Party
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — There are new photos making the rounds showing Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, two Soviet-born Florida businessmen arrested on charges of funneling foreign cash into U.S. elections, at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' election night victory party in Orlando last year.
Parnas and Fruman, who are tied to President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani and now face federal criminal charges were photographed with DeSantis at his watch party on Election Night in November 2018.
The photographs were taken by a photographer on assignment for The Associated Press.
One image shows Parnas and Fruman waiting to shake DeSantis' hand.
Another shows Parnas standing behind First Lady Casey DeSantis as the governor-to-be talks to reporters.
After the men were charged with campaign finance violations, DeSantis directed an affiliated political action committee to return $50,000 the men donated through a company.
The men were arrested on a four-county indictment that includes charges of conspiracy, making false statements to the Federal Election Commission and falsification of records.
Officials say they had key roles in Rudy Giuliani's efforts to launch a Ukrainian corruption investigation against Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
