The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has settled a lawsuit with Michael Flynn, former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, for approximately $1.2 million. The settlement resolves Flynn’s 2023 lawsuit, in which he sought $50 million, alleging malicious prosecution and abuse of process in his 2017 case involving lies to the FBI about conversations with Russia’s ambassador.
The DOJ and Flynn’s legal team notified a federal judge in Florida on Wednesday that they had reached an agreement. The settlement amount was not disclosed in court filings, but a source familiar with the matter confirmed the figure to the Associated Press.
Flynn initially pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential transition. He later sought to withdraw his plea, and the DOJ under the Trump administration moved to dismiss the case. Flynn was pardoned by Trump in 2020.
In his lawsuit, Flynn claimed the FBI had targeted him politically due to his association with Trump’s 2016 campaign. He praised the current DOJ leadership, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, for the settlement, calling the original case a "Russian Hoax FBI lawfare."
The DOJ, under the Trump administration, described the settlement as an "important step in redressing a historic injustice" tied to the Russia investigation. The Biden-era DOJ had previously sought to dismiss Flynn’s lawsuit.
Flynn’s legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The DOJ also declined to comment on the settlement.