The FBI interviewed an MMA fighter linked to Trump, Putin, and Michael Cohen


The FBI this week questioned a Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter named Fedor Emelianenko, The Associated Press reported Sunday. Emelianenko in 2008 signed with a fight league partially owned by President Trump and managed by Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen. Emelianenko appeared at a press conference with Trump in 2008, and he has been photographed with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended some of his fights.
"The FBI came to the hotel looking to talk to Fedor, and they were very nice, came in to speak with Fedor for a few minutes, spoke to me, very cool guys, and that's all I can really say about it," Emelianenko's manager, Jerry Millen, told the AP. "Again, the FBI did come to the hotel; they found us, knocked on the door." Millen said he was completely surprised by the visit.
The FBI's aim in questioning Emelianenko is unknown, but this comes less than a month after the agency raided Cohen's office in New York City. Cohen is expected to face indictment soon.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
Tariffs were supposed to drive inflation. Why hasn’t that happened?
Talking Points Businesses' planning ahead helped. But uncertainty still looms.
-
How can you find a financial adviser you trust?
the explainer Four ways to detect professionals who will act in your best interest
-
8 gifts for the host that does the most
The Week Recommends Show your appreciation with a thoughtful present
-
Supreme Court weighs court limits amid birthright ban
speed read President Trump's bid to abolish birthright citizenship has sparked questions among federal judges about blocking administration policies
-
Gabbard fires intelligence chiefs after Venezuela report
speed read Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired the top two officials leading the National Intelligence Council
-
Trump vows to lift Syria sanctions
speed read The move would help the new government stabilize the country following years of civil war
-
Senate rejects Trump's Library of Congress takeover
speed read Congress resisted the president's attempts to control 'the legislative branch's premier research body'
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group
-
White Afrikaners land in US as Trump-declared refugees
speed read An exception was made to Trump's near-total ban on admitting refugees for the white South Africans
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin