News

Photos show Rudy Giuliani's fixers with Florida governor

FILE- In this Nov. 6, 2018 file photo, Florida Govenor-elect Ron DeSantis, right, answers questions from reporters, with his wife Casey, after being declared the winner of the Florida gubernatorial race at an election party, in Orlando, Fla. Standing behind Casey DeSantis is Lev Parnas. Parnas and his associate Igor Furman are facing federal charges in connection to efforts by President Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to launch a Ukrainian corruption investigation agains Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Two Florida businessmen who are tied to President Donald Trump's lawyer and now face federal criminal charges were photographed with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Photographs taken by a photographer on assignment for The Associated Press show Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman at DeSantis' election party in Orlando last November.

One image shows Parnas and Fruman waiting to shake DeSantis' hand. Another shows Parnas standing behind First Lady Casey DeSantis as the governor-to-be talks to reporters.

After the men were charged with campaign finance violations, DeSantis directed an affiliated political action committee to return $50,000 the men donated through a company.

The men were involved in Rudy Giuliani's efforts to launch a Ukrainian corruption investigation against Joe Biden and his son Hunter.