Trump's first national security adviser Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to US special counsel's office's charges that he made false statements to the FBI about conversations he had with then Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.
When asked in court if he wanted to plead guilty, the retired three-star general and former military intelligence chief said, "Yes, sir."
"My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the Special Counsel's Office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country," Flynn stated.
He, however, has strongly denied accusations of treason, "After over 33 years of military service to our country, including nearly five years in combat away from my family, and then my decision to continue to serve the United States, it has been extraordinarily painful to endure these many months of false accusations of ‘treason’ and other outrageous acts."
Flynn's estimated sentence ranges from 0-6 months in prison with an up to $9,500 fine, according to a plea agreement.
Commenting on charges against Flynn, White House lawyer Ty Cobb said that the general's guilty plea doesn't implicate anyone else.
According to an ABC news unverified report, Flynn is allegedly prepared to testify that US President Donald Trump "directed him to make a contact with the Russians."
Flynn's Meeting With Russian Ambassador
Earlier media reports suggested that federal investigators had gathered enough evidence to press charges against Flynn, who served as Trump's national security adviser for just 24 days until he was forced to quit because he had not given Vice President Mike Pence complete information about his contact with Russia's ambassador to the US.
Previously, Sergei Kislyak, who finished his mission as the Russian envoy to the US this summer, emphasized that during his meeting with Michael Flynn, the parties discussed issues solely important to Russian-US cooperation, mainly the fight against terrorism.
READ MORE: Kislyak Finally Sheds Light on What He Discussed With Flynn
While Kislyak has been portrayed in mainstream US media as a tool for spreading Russian influence, with The New York Times and The Washington Post repeatedly releasing reports citing sources about alleged links between Trump's campaign team and Russian officials, including the former ambassador, Moscow called on Washington to stop the "bullying" campaign against the Russian diplomat, adding that he regularly met US officials as it was a portion of his duties as envoy to the county.
Flynn is the fourth member of the Trump campaign to face charges in the ongoing Russia probe, which has been called a "witch hunt" by President Donald Trump, with former campaign manager Paul Manafort and his business associate Rick Gates placed under house arrest over charges on 12 counts, including tax evasion, and former foreign policy adviser George Papadopolous, who had admitted lying to the FBI over a meeting with a London-based professor, who allegedly promised to put him in contact with people allegedly possessing "dirt" on Hillary Clinton.
