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Lev Parnas, a former Giuliani ally, convicted on campaign finance charges

Lev Parnas.
Lev Parnas. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Former Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas was convicted Friday of illegally funneling money to U.S. political campaigns to gain influence and bolster a marijuana business.

The Soviet-born Parnas and his co-conspirator, Andrey Kukushkin, tried to "manipulate the United States political system for their own financial gain," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. Kukushkin also was convicted. The men directed money to American politicians during the 2018 midterms aiming to increase the marijuana business' profits, Williams said.

Parnas and another associate, Igor Fruman, also collaborated with Giuliani to find information that could damage President Biden's campaign, to help former President Donald Trump. That scheme led to the first of Trump's two impeachments.

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