A subsidiary of the Russian cybersecurity Kaspersky Lab group paid to adviser to the U.S. President Donald Trump on national security Michael Flynn (prior to his appointment to the position) for a speech at a forum in Washington in 2015, Kaspersky Lab’s press service told TASS on March 17.
"Michael Flynn, who was forced to resign as national security adviser amid controversy over his contacts with Russia’s ambassador, collected nearly $68,000 in fees and expenses from Russia-related entities in 2015, a higher amount than was previously known, according to newly released documents," The Wall Street Journal wrote earlier in an article.
"The newly released documents show that Flynn was also paid $11,250 that year by the U.S. subsidiary of a Russian cybersecurity firm, Kaspersky Lab," the newspaper wrote.
The Kaspersky Lab said that forum featured leading political and IT experts. "They discussed cybersecurity problems, which governments face, and ways to solve them," the press service said.
"As a private company, Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, but the company is proud to collaborate with the authorities of many countries, as well as international law enforcement agencies in the fight against cybercrime," The Wall Street Journal quoted Kaspersky spokeswoman.
Flynn took the position of Donald Trump’s adviser on national security in January 2017, but a month later he was forced to resign after The Washington Post disclosed the details of his conversation with the Russian ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak over sanctions against Russia. Flynn said his conversation with the Russian ambassador concerned the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the United States. He pointed out he had merely mentioned the very instance of the expulsion and remarked that the situation required further scrutiny.
Source: TASS