Prosecutor: Foreigner fueled Giuliani associate’s donations

By LARRY NEUMEISTER and TOM HAYS
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A prosecutor has opened the trial of an associate of Rudy Giuliani by accusing him of trying to use up to $1 million from a Russian financier to infiltrate U.S. elections. The prosecutor made the allegation Wednesday in her opening statement at the Manhattan federal trial of Lev Parnas. But she added that only about $100,000 made it to politicians. A lawyer for Parnas says that his client is not guilty and that evidence will not support the prosecution’s claims. There was little mention in opening statements of Giuliani and other prominent political figures expected to emerge during a trial expected to last about two weeks.