The Senate Intelligence Committee, which is probing alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election, has expressed its desire to question a Moscow-based American businessman with longstanding ties to US President Donald Trump.
According to CNN, businessman David Geovanis helped Trump in his 1996 trip to Moscow. In addition, Geonavis worked for the Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska, whose ties with Trump's 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort, the investigators are probing.
This is the first time the connection between Geovanis and Trump is being questioned by investigators. This comes after two witnesses, during their private testification, indicated that Geonavis could be the missing link in the investigation of the case.
Geonavis, who married a Russian woman, obtained a Russian passport in 2014. He has last visited the United States in 2017 after the death of his mother.
Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen will also testify privately to the Senate Intelligence Committee. Meanwhile, special counsel Robert Mueller is expected to present his report on Russia's involvement in the 2016 election next week.