In Shock Decision, Judge Reverses Conviction Of Michael Flynn’s Lobbying Parter
24th September 2019
In a surprise move Tuesday, a federal judge in Virginia acquitted Bijan Rafiekian, a former business partner of Michael Flynn’s who was convicted in July in a case spun off from the special counsel’s investigation.
Rafiekian, who served as vice chairman of Flynn Intel Group, was convicted July 23 of illegally lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
But Judge Anthony Trenga reversed the jury decision in a 39-page ruling, saying the government’s evidence against Rafiekian “was insufficient as a matter of law” to justify conviction on either count.