Judge Nearly Throws Out Case Against Former Michael Flynn Associate On Trial For Alleged Turkish Lobbying

• A judge in Virginia stopped just short of tossing out charges against Bijan Rafiekian, a former associate of Michael Flynn’s on trial for allegedly lobbying covertly for Turkey.
• Judge Anthony Trenga said prosecutors presented “very speculative” evidence against Rafiekian, who was an executive at Flynn’s intelligence firm.
• Trenga ultimately decided to allow the trial to continue.

A federal judge Thursday came close to throwing out charges against a former Michael Flynn business partner on trial in Virginia, saying the government had presented “very circumstantial” and “very speculative” evidence during its presentation of the case.

Speaking after prosecutors wrapped up their case against former Flynn associate Bijan Rafiekian, Judge Anthony Trenga said there were “substantial issues” with the government’s evidence, The Washington Post reported.

Rafiekian, a former executive at Flynn’s firm, Flynn Intel Group (FIG), is on trial on charges that he acted as an unregistered foreign agent of Turkey, and that he conspired to do the same. Both charges are felonies.

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