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| Ukraine Saga’s Growing Cast of Characters | Ukraine Saga’s Growing Cast of Characters |
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| The cast of characters, both major and peripheral, involved in President Trump’s Ukraine saga continues to grow. New details emerged about some of them on Thursday after the indictment of two associates of Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s private lawyer. | The cast of characters, both major and peripheral, involved in President Trump’s Ukraine saga continues to grow. New details emerged about some of them on Thursday after the indictment of two associates of Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s private lawyer. |
| Arrested as they sought to leave the country with one-way tickets, Mr. Giuliani’s associates, Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman, have both been called to testify in the House impeachment inquiry. | Arrested as they sought to leave the country with one-way tickets, Mr. Giuliani’s associates, Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman, have both been called to testify in the House impeachment inquiry. |
| Mr. Parnas was born in Ukraine, and Mr. Fruman in Belarus. Both are now American citizens, based in southern Florida. | Mr. Parnas was born in Ukraine, and Mr. Fruman in Belarus. Both are now American citizens, based in southern Florida. |
| Thursday’s indictment charges them with camouflaging political donations in order to advance the political interests of Ukrainian government officials as well as their own business interests. | Thursday’s indictment charges them with camouflaging political donations in order to advance the political interests of Ukrainian government officials as well as their own business interests. |
| Over the past two years, they appear to have been pursuing two distinct goals. One was to help Mr. Giuliani oust the American ambassador to Ukraine and gather negative information about the business dealings of Hunter Biden, the younger son of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., in that country. | Over the past two years, they appear to have been pursuing two distinct goals. One was to help Mr. Giuliani oust the American ambassador to Ukraine and gather negative information about the business dealings of Hunter Biden, the younger son of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., in that country. |
| Allegations that Mr. Trump pressured Volodymyr Zelensky, the newly elected president of Ukraine, to investigate the Bidens in exchange for a White House meeting or military aid — or both — are at the center of the impeachment inquiry. | Allegations that Mr. Trump pressured Volodymyr Zelensky, the newly elected president of Ukraine, to investigate the Bidens in exchange for a White House meeting or military aid — or both — are at the center of the impeachment inquiry. |
| The pair’s other goal was to use political contributions in order to change state and federal policies to further their recreational marijuana business venture. An unnamed foreigner with “Russian roots” gave them $1 million for that purpose, according to the indictment. It is illegal for foreigners to donate to American political campaigns. | The pair’s other goal was to use political contributions in order to change state and federal policies to further their recreational marijuana business venture. An unnamed foreigner with “Russian roots” gave them $1 million for that purpose, according to the indictment. It is illegal for foreigners to donate to American political campaigns. |
| Both men appear to have met Mr. Trump. Mr. Parnas posted a photograph of himself with the president on Twitter in June, saying he was honored to call Mr. Trump his friend. Mr. Fruman told one news outlet that Mr. Trump invited him to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., in March 2018 for one of the president’s first fund-raising events for the 2020 election. | Both men appear to have met Mr. Trump. Mr. Parnas posted a photograph of himself with the president on Twitter in June, saying he was honored to call Mr. Trump his friend. Mr. Fruman told one news outlet that Mr. Trump invited him to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., in March 2018 for one of the president’s first fund-raising events for the 2020 election. |
| Last year, Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman donated $325,000 to a pro-Trump super PAC, America First Action. They claimed the funds came from an energy company they had recently created. In fact, the firm had no income and no assets, according to the indictment. Prosecutors stated the funds came from a transaction between Mr. Fruman and third parties whom they did not name. | Last year, Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman donated $325,000 to a pro-Trump super PAC, America First Action. They claimed the funds came from an energy company they had recently created. In fact, the firm had no income and no assets, according to the indictment. Prosecutors stated the funds came from a transaction between Mr. Fruman and third parties whom they did not name. |
| In an intriguing development, Thursday’s indictment cites Mr. Parnas’s efforts to help Mr. Giuliani and others oust Ms. Yovanovitch as the American ambassador in Ukraine. The State Department recalled her to the United States in May, months before the scheduled end of her tenure. How she lost her post is a key part of the impeachment inquiry. | In an intriguing development, Thursday’s indictment cites Mr. Parnas’s efforts to help Mr. Giuliani and others oust Ms. Yovanovitch as the American ambassador in Ukraine. The State Department recalled her to the United States in May, months before the scheduled end of her tenure. How she lost her post is a key part of the impeachment inquiry. |
| Ms. Yovanovitch’s critics alleged that she was disloyal to Mr. Trump. One informal adviser to the president made an unsubstantiated claim that she had told Ukrainian officials to ignore Mr. Trump’s policies because he would be impeached. In his July call with Mr. Zelensky, Mr. Trump described the ambassador as “bad news,” warning, “She’s going to go through some things.” | Ms. Yovanovitch’s critics alleged that she was disloyal to Mr. Trump. One informal adviser to the president made an unsubstantiated claim that she had told Ukrainian officials to ignore Mr. Trump’s policies because he would be impeached. In his July call with Mr. Zelensky, Mr. Trump described the ambassador as “bad news,” warning, “She’s going to go through some things.” |
| Allies of Ms. Yovanovitch say they fear she was removed because she was an obstacle to Mr. Trump’s hopes that Ukraine would investigate the Bidens. Numerous foreign policy experts describe the three-time ambassador as highly competent and nonpartisan. | Allies of Ms. Yovanovitch say they fear she was removed because she was an obstacle to Mr. Trump’s hopes that Ukraine would investigate the Bidens. Numerous foreign policy experts describe the three-time ambassador as highly competent and nonpartisan. |
| She is scheduled to testify Friday in the House impeachment inquiry, but it is unclear whether the administration, which claims the inquiry is not legitimate, will allow her to appear. So far, neither she nor her lawyers have commented publicly. | She is scheduled to testify Friday in the House impeachment inquiry, but it is unclear whether the administration, which claims the inquiry is not legitimate, will allow her to appear. So far, neither she nor her lawyers have commented publicly. |
| Mr. Sessions, a former Republican congressman from Texas, is referred to in the indictment, but not by name. Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman contributed to his 2018 re-election campaign, disguising one contribution to avoid campaign finance limits. | Mr. Sessions, a former Republican congressman from Texas, is referred to in the indictment, but not by name. Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman contributed to his 2018 re-election campaign, disguising one contribution to avoid campaign finance limits. |
| The indictment alleges that Mr. Parnas recruited Mr. Sessions, then the chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, to help try to oust Ms. Yovanovitch. At the same time, he and Mr. Fruman promised to help Mr. Sessions raise more than $20,000 for re-election. | The indictment alleges that Mr. Parnas recruited Mr. Sessions, then the chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, to help try to oust Ms. Yovanovitch. At the same time, he and Mr. Fruman promised to help Mr. Sessions raise more than $20,000 for re-election. |
| In a letter last year to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Mr. Sessions accused Ms. Yovanovitch of disloyalty to the president. | In a letter last year to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Mr. Sessions accused Ms. Yovanovitch of disloyalty to the president. |
| Mr. Sessions lost his re-election bid, but announced this month that he was running for a different Texas congressional seat in 2020. He said Thursday that he knew nothing about the campaign finance scheme, and that he criticized the ambassador for one reason only: “I believe that political appointees should not be disparaging the president, especially while serving overseas.” | Mr. Sessions lost his re-election bid, but announced this month that he was running for a different Texas congressional seat in 2020. He said Thursday that he knew nothing about the campaign finance scheme, and that he criticized the ambassador for one reason only: “I believe that political appointees should not be disparaging the president, especially while serving overseas.” |
| Both men were charged in the indictment, but not in connection with Ukraine. Rather, they were involved in the scheme with Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman to influence state and federal politicians to help get licenses for a recreational marijuana business. The business venture ultimately failed. | Both men were charged in the indictment, but not in connection with Ukraine. Rather, they were involved in the scheme with Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman to influence state and federal politicians to help get licenses for a recreational marijuana business. The business venture ultimately failed. |
| Born in Ukraine, Mr. Kukushkin, 46, is an American citizen living in the San Francisco area. Mr. Correia, 44, an American businessman, has described himself as an entrepreneur who works for a company that says it helps investors reduce the risk of fraud. | Born in Ukraine, Mr. Kukushkin, 46, is an American citizen living in the San Francisco area. Mr. Correia, 44, an American businessman, has described himself as an entrepreneur who works for a company that says it helps investors reduce the risk of fraud. |
| The influence-peddling scheme involved an unnamed foreigner with “Russian roots” who transferred $1 million “to cover all the donations” to federal candidates, as well as state candidates and politicians in Nevada, New York and elsewhere. | The influence-peddling scheme involved an unnamed foreigner with “Russian roots” who transferred $1 million “to cover all the donations” to federal candidates, as well as state candidates and politicians in Nevada, New York and elsewhere. |
| In Nevada, the men missed the application deadline but hoped officials would grant them a license anyway. They donated $10,000 to Wesley Karl Duncan, a Republican candidate running for attorney general in Nevada, who lost. | In Nevada, the men missed the application deadline but hoped officials would grant them a license anyway. They donated $10,000 to Wesley Karl Duncan, a Republican candidate running for attorney general in Nevada, who lost. |
| Mr. Fruman also donated $10,000 to Adam Laxalt, then the state’s attorney general who was running for governor. He also lost, but remains an influential politician in Nevada, a critical state in the presidential race. | Mr. Fruman also donated $10,000 to Adam Laxalt, then the state’s attorney general who was running for governor. He also lost, but remains an influential politician in Nevada, a critical state in the presidential race. |
| In October 2018, Mr. Laxalt spoke at a Trump rally in Elko, Nev. Last month, the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, traveled to a Nevada event hosted by Mr. Laxalt, according to news reports. | In October 2018, Mr. Laxalt spoke at a Trump rally in Elko, Nev. Last month, the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, traveled to a Nevada event hosted by Mr. Laxalt, according to news reports. |
| The indictment states that Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman both worked for at least one Ukrainian government official who tried to remove the American ambassador. It was not immediately clear who that was, or whether the individual was still in the government. | The indictment states that Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman both worked for at least one Ukrainian government official who tried to remove the American ambassador. It was not immediately clear who that was, or whether the individual was still in the government. |
| Ukraine’s government turned over this May after Mr. Zelensky’s election. Yuriy Lutsenko, a fierce opponent of Ms. Yovanovitch, was fired. Mr. Trump appeared to praise Mr. Lutsenko in his July phone call with the Ukrainian president. | Ukraine’s government turned over this May after Mr. Zelensky’s election. Yuriy Lutsenko, a fierce opponent of Ms. Yovanovitch, was fired. Mr. Trump appeared to praise Mr. Lutsenko in his July phone call with the Ukrainian president. |
| But Mr. Lutsenko was by no means the only Ukrainian official critical of Ms. Yovanovitch, who vigorously complained about corruption in the Ukrainian government, including in the prosecutor general’s office. | But Mr. Lutsenko was by no means the only Ukrainian official critical of Ms. Yovanovitch, who vigorously complained about corruption in the Ukrainian government, including in the prosecutor general’s office. |
| Another official, still in the government, is Kostiantyn Kulyk, a deputy prosecutor. Allegations of corruption made him toxic in the eyes of some American officials. | |
| Mark Walker, Kitty Bennett and Susan Beachy contributed research. | Mark Walker, Kitty Bennett and Susan Beachy contributed research. |