Man charged in case tied to Ukrainian probe released on bond

SAN FRANCISCO – One of four men charged with funneling foreign money into U.S. politics has been ordered released on $1 million bond in the first criminal case tied linked to an investigation involving the president and Ukraine.

A federal magistrate judge in San Francisco allowed Andrey Kukushkin to be released Friday if he surrenders his U.S. and Ukrainian passports and submit to home confinement and electronic monitoring.

Charges against the four men, including two Florida businessmen tied to President Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, relate to a $325,000 donation to a group supporting Trump’s re-election.

Kukushkin, a Ukrainian-born U.S. citizen, was arrested at his San Francisco home Wednesday.

His defence attorney said Kukushkin intends to appear in New York federal court next Thursday to fight charges of making illegal political contributions.