Michael Flynn was charged with one count of making a false statement to FBI agents and appeared in federal court in D.C.


In a criminal information filing from Mueller’s team, the government alleges that Flynn “willfully and knowingly made materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements” in an interview with FBI agents on Jan. 24. It alleges he falsely told the FBI that he did not ask the Russian ambassador to refrain from retaliating to sanctions the Obama administration imposed on Russia in late December. Flynn also allegedly lied about asking the Russian ambassador on Dec. 22 to delay or defeat a pending United Nations Security Council resolution.

Considering all of the additional charges Flynn could have faced in connection with his overseas dealings, the fact that he is facing only one charge is an indication that Flynn is offering significant cooperation and information that could further Mueller’s investigation.


Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn arrives for a plea hearing at U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

The Associated Press and Washington Post reported Friday that Flynn admitted in his plea that he spoke to the Russians at the direction of Trump transition team officials.

In response to Friday morning’s charge, Trump lawyer John Dowd told Wall Street Journal reporter Rebecca Ballhaus: “I have no reaction. I don’t know enough. I’m not worried about it.”

White House lawyer Ty Cobb said the plea implicates only Flynn.

“The false statements involved mirror the false statements to White House officials which resulted in his resignation in February of this year,” Cobb said in a statement. “Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn. The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel’s work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion.”


The New York Times reported in late November that Flynn’s lawyer, Robert Kelner, was no longer sharing information with Trump’s legal team, further raising the possibility that Flynn was cooperating with Mueller’s probe. Kelner later met with the investigators, according to ABC News.

Flynn’s indictment follows Mueller’s team charging Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his former aide Rick Gates with 12 counts, including allegations of conspiracy against the U.S. and money laundering. Manafort and Gates pleaded not guilty to the charges and are scheduled to face a federal trial in May.
In October, the investigators also reached a plea agreement with former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, who lied to the FBI about being offered “dirt” on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. Papadopoulos also reportedly suggested a meeting between then-candidate Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.