US prosecutors ‘investigating Ukranian plot to meddle in 2020 election using Rudy Giuliani to spread lies about Biden’
FEDERAL prosecutors are reportedly looking into whether Rudy Giuliani was used by Ukrainian officials to meddle in the 2020 election.
Feds in Brooklyn are probing whether was used to spread falsehoods about in an effort to swing the election for , according to a new report.
The probe, which was citing people familiar with the matter, allegedly began in the final months of Trump's presidency.
The Brooklyn prosecutors are working with the FBI and are focused on current and former Ukrainian officials suspected of spreading unsubstantiated claims of Biden being corrupt through multiple channels, according to The Times.
One of those channels the officials may have used is Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City and personal attorney to Trump.
The investigation is separate from a that's currently ongoing in Manhattan.
That investigation is focused on Giuliani's dealings with Ukraine as well, but is looking into whether he broke any lobbying laws while working for Trump.
Last month, the FBI and office in relation to the probe and seized a handful of the attorney's electronics.
But Giuliani is not the focus of the Brooklyn investigation, according to The Times' sources, though it's unclear at this time if any Ukrainians will be charged.
The authorities are reportedly looking into a trip Giuliani took to Europe in December 2019 where he met with several Ukrainians.
One of the officials Giuliani met, Andriy Derkach, is a focus of the Brooklyn investigation.
Giuliani's meetings revolved around gathering information about Biden's diplomatic efforts in the Ukraine while he was vice president and pressing the nation to announce investigations into Biden.
That effort ultimately led to Trump's first impeachment.
Trump was apparently warned amid the impeachment proceedings that Derkach may have been attempting to use Giuliani to spread misinformation, though Giuliani has claimed he was never given that warning himself.
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He continued to vouch for the information he received from Derkach, even after the Treasury Department under Trump imposed sanctions on him for election interference.
Giuliani's lawyer Robert Costello defended his dealings with Ukraine on Thursday.
"When you investigate allegations of corruption, you talk to all sorts of people; some are credible, and some are not," he said.