Indicted Parnas associate was set to partner with VA on cannabis research

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/03/andrey-kukushkin-veterans-affairs-cannabis-research-110545

The associate, Andrey Kukushkin, is awaiting federal trial for alleged campaign finance violations.

By NATASHA BERTRAND and MONA ZHANG

02/03/2020 02:36 PM EST

A businessman facing federal charges over an alleged plot to trade political donations for help obtaining marijuana licenses around the country was working on a medical cannabis research deal with the Department of Veterans Affairs just weeks before his indictment.

Andrey Kukushkin, a Ukraine-born cannabis investor whose multi-state marijuana projects and political donations were allegedly illegally funded by a Russian national, was set to partner with the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center in September on a 5-year research and development agreement to study medical cannabis therapies for cancer, according to a copy of the proposed agreement reviewed by POLITICO.

But the proposed partnership, which was set to go into effect on January, 2020 and continue until January 14, 2025 with a budget of around $650,000 per year, appears to have been scrapped after Kukushkin was indicted by the Southern District of New York in October for alleged campaign finance violations.

Kukushkin was indicted alongside the businessmen Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman—who have for unrelated reasons become central players in President Donald Trump’s impeachment—and their associate David Correa. All four men have pleaded not guilty. Kukushkin’s lawyer was not immediately available for comment.

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Natasha Bertrand ✔ @NatashaBertrand

NEW: Andrey Kukushkin, indicted for allegedly funneling Russian money to officials, was set to partner w/the V.A. on cannabis research just before he was charged. The chair for several of DoD's med research programs was in loop, raising natsec concerns.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/03/andrey-kukushkin-veterans-affairs-cannabis-research-110545 …
Indicted Parnas associate was set to partner with VA on cannabis research
The associate, Andrey Kukushkin, is awaiting federal trial for alleged campaign finance violations.

2:44 PM - Feb 3, 2020

Um... a VA contract?

[Leghorn21]

1. Excellent. Now do that David Correa guy and Igor's little brother.

People are wondering if this pitiful story has anything to do with that deputy getting canned...

I guess we’ll stay tuned. As usual.

Thanks for posting, Mr D!

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Twitter replies:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Dennis Donovan]

3. My fav:

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[NCLefty]

4. It looks like that partnership has gone... *dons shades*... up in smoke.