Lev Parnas, left, and Igor Fruman, right, are already charged in a scheme to skirt campaign finance laws as part of a plot to oust the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. | AP Photo New charges likely in case against Giuliani associates

NEW YORK — New charges are likely to be brought against two associates of Rudy Giuliani who were indicted for campaign finance crimes, prosecutors said Monday.

The two men, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, are already charged in a scheme to skirt campaign finance laws as part of a plot to oust the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.


A new indictment — which could include additional charges or additional defendants — is likely in the case, assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Zolkind said at a pretrial hearing in federal court in Manhattan, as investigators pore through a mountain of potential evidence in the case.

“The government’s investigation is ongoing, and we think a superseding indictment is likely,” he said. “No decision has been made.”

The two men were arrested in October and charged with illegally routing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the U.S. political system, including money given to a super PAC supporting President Donald Trump.

The charges stem in part from an effort the two men worked on with Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, to spread negative information about the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine with the goal of getting her ousted. The ambassador, Marie Yovanovitch, was ultimately removed.

They’re also accused in a separate scheme of using political donations to obtain licenses for a planned marijuana venture.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges, including conspiracy to violate the ban on foreign donations in American elections, making false statements and falsifying records.

The case appears to be part of a broader probe that is looking at numerous people in Giuliani’s orbit.

Also at Monday’s hearing, Judge J. Paul Oetken said he plans to allow Parnas, a Ukrainian-born businessman, to turn over evidence to Congress in response to a subpoena from the House Intelligence Committee.

Many of Parnas’ records were seized by the FBI in raids on his home and elsewhere around the time of his arrest last month at Dulles International Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Vienna with Fruman.

The judge said it would be in the “public interest” to allow the documents to be sent to Congress, which requires his approval under an order imposed in the criminal case.

“I certainly expect to grant that request,” he said. Prosecutors also said they would not object.

A Democratic spokesperson for the House Intelligence Committee declined comment on the judge’s OK for Parnas to hand over materials to impeachment investigators.

Parnas, who is under house arrest in Florida, appeared in court in Manhattan for Monday’s hearing. Fruman was granted permission not to appear.

The next court date was set for Feb. 3.

No trial date has been set, as the government continues to work to crack dozens of phones, computers and other devices seized from the men and two co-defendants, and then turn evidence over to defense lawyers for discovery.

The government seized nearly 30 devices including several cell phones, laptops, hard drives and iPads, Zolkind said.

“It is voluminous,” he said. “The FBI’s technical team is going through the process of extracting that material as quickly as possible.”

Darren Samuelsohn contributed to this report.