Bijan Kian Explained

Bijan Kian
Birth Date:15 January 1952
Birth Place:Tehran, Iran
Party:Republican
Education:Tehran Industrial College (BS)
University of Brighton (DMS)

Bijan R. Kian (Persian: بیژن کیان; born January 15, 1952), sometimes written Bijan Rafiekian (بیژن رفیعی‌کیان), is an Iranian-American businessman, who is based in San Juan Capistrano, California.[1] He has been an executive or board member of many businesses and organizations.[2]

Kian was a member of the Board of Directors of the Export–Import Bank of the United States from 2006 to 2011,[3] [4] after being nominated by President George W. Bush and receiving Senate confirmation.[5]

Kian was a partner of retired United States Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn in the Flynn Intel Group and worked with the incoming Trump administration's transition team on matters relating to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.[6] [7]

The US Special Counsel's office opened an investigation into Flynn and the Flynn Intel Group, including Kian, in 2017.[8] [9] On December 17, 2018, several months after Flynn entered into a cooperation agreement with the Special Counsel's office, and two weeks after Flynn pleaded guilty in federal court for lying to the FBI, Kian and Kamil Ekim Alptekin were indicted in US federal court. Kian was charged with illegally acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government and for lobbying the United States on behalf of Turkey to extradite Fethullah Gülen, who lives in the U.S., to Turkey, where Gülen was blamed for orchestrating a failed coup in 2016.[10] [11] Kian pleaded not guilty. The trial began on July 15, 2019.[12] [13] Contractors of the intel company gave testimony in the trial of the subject, which revealed the subject had requested surveillance of Gülen supporters, investigations of terrorist connections, and classified FBI documents on Gülen.[14] Kian was found guilty and convicted on July 23, 2019.[15] However, on September 24, 2019, Judge Anthony Trenga of the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed the indictment against Bijan Rafiekian, citing insufficient evidence.[16] The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the conviction on March 18, 2021.[17]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Two Men Charged with Conspiracy and Acting as Agents of a Foreign Government . 17 December 2018 .
  2. https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1433812&privcapId=253063615 Executive Profile: Bijan R. Kian
  3. https://www.exim.gov/news/professional-banker-business-executive-and-educator-sworn-newest-board-member-export-import Professional Banker, Business Executive and Educator sworn-in as the newest board member at Export-Import Bank of the United States
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20150123095653/http://www.exim.gov/about/whoweare/history.cfm Ex-Im Bank History
  5. https://www.congress.gov/110/chrg/shrg50323/CHRG-110shrg50323.htm Hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
  6. Stephen Braun; Chad Day (Associated Press). Trump transition aide was a key player in Flynn’s Turkish work. Washington Times. 13 June 2017
  7. https://www.steptoe.com/resources-detail-11703.html Trump Administration Transition
  8. Reuters. Who is Bijan Kian? Feds probe ex-Flynn associate for payments from companies with Russian and Turkish ties. Newsweek, 20 June 2017
  9. Julia Ainsley. Mike Flynn business partner Bijan Kian now the subject of Mueller probe. NBC News. 22 Nov 2017
  10. News: Michael Flynn's business partner charged with illegally lobbying for Turkey. Weiner. Rachel. December 17, 2018. Washington Post. December 17, 2018.
  11. Web site: Trial Begins With High Stakes for US-Turkey Ties, Ex-Trump Adviser Flynn. Voice of America. en. 2019-07-24.
  12. AP. "Prosecutors may be forced to name Flynn in lobbying case". 13 February 2019.
  13. Web site: Trial Begins With High Stakes for US-Turkey Ties, Ex-Trump Adviser Flynn. Voice of America. en. 2019-07-24.
  14. Gerstein, Josh. (17 July 2019). "Flynn juggled Trump campaign role with foreign lobbying, jurors told." Politico website Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  15. Web site: Trump transition adviser convicted on foreign-agent charges. Gerstein. Josh. POLITICO. en. 2019-07-24.
  16. Web site: Judge tosses conviction against Michael Flynn's ex-lobbying partner. NBC News. en. 2019-11-27.
  17. Web site: Court reinstates guilty verdicts against Flynn partner over Turkey lobbying . . March 18, 2021 . May 31, 2021 . Gerstein . Josh.
  18. Web site: Judge throws out a guilty verdict against Michael Flynn's lobbying partner Bijan Kian. Katelyn Polantz. CNN. 2019-11-27.

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