The Justice Department has settled a lawsuit brought by former national security adviser Michael Flynn, ending his claim of wrongful prosecution. The agreement closes a case that sought at least $50 million in damages and centers on the Russia investigation.
Court filings show both sides agreed to dismiss the case, with Flynn set to receive “settlement funds.” The filing does not list an amount. A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press the payment is about $1.2 million.
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Settlement resolves Flynn’s claims
Flynn filed the lawsuit in 2023, arguing federal investigators targeted him because of his role in Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and early months in the White House. He claimed the case amounted to malicious prosecution.
The agreement does not spell out additional terms beyond the payment and each side covering its own legal costs.
Case began with 2017 FBI charge
The case stems from a 2017 charge in which Flynn was accused of lying to the FBI about conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. He later pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the late Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Flynn admitted to making false statements and later moved to withdraw his plea, accusing prosecutors of bad faith and breaking their agreement.
Case dropped, pardon followed
The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case in 2020, saying it should not continue. That decision set off a legal fight that ended when Trump pardoned Flynn later that year.
Flynn served less than a month as national security adviser before he was removed in 2017 after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with Kislyak.
DOJ describes settlement as corrective
The Justice Department says the settlement addresses what it views as wrongdoing tied to the Russia investigation.
In his lawsuit, Flynn said he was “falsely branded as a traitor to his country,” lost business opportunities and spent substantial money on his defense.
