The Justice Department is considering dropping its fraud case against Michael Flynn’s former business partner, Bijan Rafiekian, also known as Bijan Kian. This comes after Kian’s conviction was initially overturned by a judge due to insufficient evidence, a decision later reversed by an appeals court, reinstating the guilty verdict.
Kian was convicted in 2019 of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign government and making false statements. The case stemmed from work Kian and Flynn’s company, Flynn Intel Group, performed for the Turkish government while Flynn was advising Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Prosecutors alleged that Kian and Flynn worked to discredit Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, a political opponent of then-President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, without properly registering as foreign agents with the U.S. government.
The Justice Department’s decision to potentially drop the case signals a shift in their assessment of the evidence and the strength of their legal position following the appeals court ruling. While the conviction was reinstated, prosecutors may be weighing the risks and resources involved in further pursuing the case against Kian, especially given the initial trial judge’s reservations and the complexities of proving the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. A final decision is expected soon.
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