Mueller close to charging Flynn in Russia probe: report

Special counsel Robert Mueller has obtained enough evidence to bring charges in the federal investigation into President Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn and his son, according to NBC News.

Flynn would be the first current or former Trump administration official to be charged by Mueller’s team, signaling the team is closing in on the White House.

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Mueller’s team is reportedly planning to speak with various witnesses in the next week to learn more about Flynn’s past lobbying work and whether he laundered money and lied to federal investigators. 

NBC also reported that the special counsel’s team is probing whether Flynn attempted to remove from the U.S. to Turkey a rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in exchange for large financial sums.

Flynn’s son, Michael G. Flynn, is also under investigation and could be indicted at the same time as his father or at another time, according to the report.

The younger Flynn often traveled and worked with his father during the campaign and took part in the transition.

Flynn could potentially be spared major legal consequences if he cooperates with investigators as a means of helping his son, according to the report.

The report that Mueller may be close to charging Flynn follows the indictments of Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his associate Richard Gates as part of the ongoing probe into Russia’s influence in the 2016 election as well as possible collusion between Trump’s campaign and Moscow. 

The White House said on Monday those charges had nothing to do with the campaign.

The report also follows the revelation that former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty earlier this month to lying to FBI investigators about his contact with Russian actors during the campaign.

The revelations show that Mueller’s investigation is moving at a quick pace and closing in on those close to the president.

Flynn left his White House post in February after he misled key administration officials about his previous contact with Russian officials. 

— Updated at 11:15 a.m.