Ukraine-linked Giuliani associates arrested

Federal authorities apprehended Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman on Wednesday at a Virginia airport, where they had one-way tickets out of the country. Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, told Fox News the men had connected him with top Ukrainian officials and “logistically helped” him collect evidence against the family of former Vice President Joe Biden.

What charges do they face? Parnas and Fruman allegedly funneled laundered foreign money through a shell company to several political campaigns and a super PAC supporting Trump. The indictment says they pressured an unnamed congressman to help them oust then–U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch at the behest of a Ukrainian government official. The indictment also includes allegations against two other men.

Where does the impeachment effort stand? House Democrats subpoenaed Parnas and Fruman for documents related to the investigation. They also summoned documents from Energy Secretary Rick Perry. U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland said Friday he would testify before a House committee next week. Yovanovitch is testifying behind closed doors Friday.

Dig deeper: Read my previous coverage in The Sift on why the White House said Sondland should not testify.