An associate of Rudy Giuliani Rudy GiulianiThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting CIA found Putin 'probably directing' campaign against Biden: report Democrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate MORE, President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE’s personal attorney, told confidants that he was on a “secret mission” for the president.

After meeting with Trump at the White House in December, Lev Parnas reportedly insinuated to associates that the president had given him a special assignment, like some sort of “James Bond mission,” one of his confidants told CNN.

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"Parnas viewed the assignment as a great crusade," one of the people to whom Parnas spoke told CNN. "He believed he was doing the right thing for Trump."

Parnas believed that he would carry out Trump’s directives, as dictated through Giuliani, to help advance the president’s interests in Ukraine.

Giuliani’s lawyer denied to CNN that a December meeting took place at the White House, adding that Parnas is "no Sean Connery" and suffers from "delusions of grandeur."

"Mr. Parnas at all times believed that he was acting only on behalf of the President, as directed by his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and never on behalf of any Ukrainian officials,” Parnas’s attorney told CNN.

Parnas and his business partner, Igor Fruman, have been thrust to the heart of the House’s impeachment investigation into Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.

The two were allegedly involved in a shadow campaign to help oust former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch Marie YovanovitchGrand jury adds additional counts against Giuliani associates Lev Parnas and and Igor Fruman Strzok: Trump behaving like an authoritarian Powell backs Biden at convention as Democrats rip Trump on security MORE, whom they viewed as an obstacle they needed to remove in order to pave the way for Giuliani’s push for politically-beneficial investigations by Kyiv.

People who encountered the men indicate that the two had interacted with Trump both before and after they met Giuliani in the summer of 2018.

Parnas and Fruman were indicted in connection with an alleged campaign finance fraud scheme in which they planned to use a shell company to donate money to a pro-Trump election committee. Parnas has indicated that he will cooperate with the House’s impeachment investigation.