natalia veselnitskaya russian lawyer who granted visa

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya was granted special entry to the United States on multiple occasions in 2015 and 2016 at the request of the Justice Department, confirmed the Department of Homeland Security Friday.

Full Answer

When did Veselnitskaya get a visa?

Veselnitskaya obtained a visa from the State Department to enter the country in June 2016, according to a government filing last week. The filing, which came in response to a new request by Veselnitskaya to be allowed into the U.S. for a Nov. 9 hearing in the now-settled Prevezon case, cited a Fox News report from last July.

Who refused to grant parole to Veselnitskaya?

On Friday, U.S. District Judge William Pauley refused to order the Justice Department to grant a new immigration parole to Veselnitskaya, who wants to attend a hearing Thursday on whether Prevezon has breached an agreement to pay about $6 million to the U.S. in the forfeiture case.

Why did Donald Trump describe the Veselnitskaya meeting as a waste of time?

Donald Trump Jr. has described the Veselnitskaya meeting as a waste of time because the lawyer did not provide useful information.

Who is the owner of Prevezon?

government’s forfeiture case against the Cyprus-based real estate holding company Prevezon, which prosecutors accused of laundering some of the proceeds of a $230 million Russian tax fraud scheme. Prevezon has U.S. lawyers in the forfeiture action but Veselnitskaya represents Prevezon owner Denis Katsyv, a Russian businessman.

Who was the Russian woman who met Trump Jr.?

Veselnitskaya, as you may recall, became a central character in the investigation of possible links between Russian officials and the Trump campaign when the New York Times broke the news that she met at Trump Tower with Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and then Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort on June 9, 2016, after the campaign was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton. In the Bloomberg interview published Monday, Veselnitskaya also claimed President Trump’s son asked her for written evidence that Hillary Clinton’s campaign received ill-gotten proceeds.

Did the State Department issue a visa to Veselnitskaya?

The Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office did not disclose in the filing whether it independently confirmed that the State Department issued a visa to Veselnitskaya to allow to her attend the 2nd Circuit argument in June 2016. The prosecutor leading the Prevezon case, assistant U.S. attorney Paul Monteleoni, referred me to a spokesman, who said the office could not supply additional public information on Veselnitskaya’s reported visa.

How long did it take for the federal government to settle the case against Katsyv?

The federal government settled its case against Katsyv four months after Mr. Trump entered office.

Who was the Russian lawyer who met with Trump Jr?

released emails this week showing a series of communications with a publicist promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton, that would ostensibly be provided by Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting and hosted Veselnitskaya for a meeting with him, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort at Trump Tower on June 9, 2016. Veselnitskaya allegedly provided no useful information, Trump Jr. said after the controversy erupted this week.

What was the Magnitsky Act?

Days after the meeting in Trump Tower, Veselnitskaya traveled to Washington, where she attended a screening of a film decrying the Magnitsky Act, the 2012 law allowing sanctions against individual Russians suspected of human rights abuses. Veselnitskaya has been one of the foremost Russian nationals lobbying for repeal of the bill, named after Sergei Magnitsky, who was allegedly killed in custody after exposing the corruption at the heart of the Katsyv case.

When did Katsyv's parole expire?

attorney's office for the Southern District of New York granted Veselnitskaya immigration parole in October 2015, setting an expiration date of January 7, 2016, DOJ attorneys later told the court. On January 4, Veselnitskaya's request to extend her parole was denied, according to a declaration filed in U.S. District Court on January 5. In that filing, Veselnitskaya asked the judge to allow her to remain in the U.S. to defend Katsyv. She added she had "been harassed by the Government despite being paroled into the United States" when trying to return from a trip to London that November.

Does Lynch have any knowledge of Veselnitskaya's travel?

A spokesman for Lynch, who served as attorney general under President Obama, told CBS News Lynch "does not have any personal knowledge of Ms. Veselnitskaya's travel." The spokesman noted "the State Department issues visas, and the Department of Homeland Security oversees entry to the United States at airports."

What is the Magnitsky Act?

The Human Rights Accountability Global Initiative Foundation claims it is working to help “restart American adoption of Russian children,” which was suspended by President Vladimir Putin in retaliation for the Magnitsky Act.

How much did Akhmetshin get paid?

Akhmetshin was paid $10,000 by Veselnitskaya’s group, according to his registered-lobbyist disclosure form. He has been described by Radio Free Europe as a hired gun for various characters from the former Soviet Union. Sen. Grassley claims Akhmetshin is a former Russian military intelligence officer who acts as an “unregistered agent for Russian interests and apparently has ties to Russian intelligence.”

Did Natalia Veselnitskaya get a visa?

Prosecutors gave Natalia Veselnitskaya permission to come to NYC, but it expired months before she went to Trump Tower. The State Department won’t say if she got a visa, either.