▁concern ▁prompt ed ▁another ▁individual ▁to ▁alert ▁American ▁authorities ▁that ▁F lyn n ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁comprom ised ▁by ▁Russian ▁intelligence . ▁F lyn n ▁initially ▁refused ▁to ▁hand ▁over ▁sub po ena ed ▁documents ▁to ▁the ▁Senate ▁Int elligence ▁Committee , ▁ple ading ▁the ▁Fif th ▁Am end ment ▁against ▁self - inc rim ination , ▁but ▁a ▁comprom ise ▁with ▁the ▁committee ▁was ▁worked ▁out . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁F lyn n ▁appeared ▁in ▁federal ▁court ▁to ▁formal ize ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁Special ▁Coun sel ▁Robert ▁Mu eller ▁to ▁ple ad ▁guilty ▁to ▁a ▁fel ony ▁count ▁of ▁" will fully ▁and ▁know ingly " ▁making ▁" false , ▁fict it ious ▁and ▁fra ud ul ent ▁statements " ▁to ▁the ▁F BI . ▁He ▁confirmed ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁co oper ate ▁with ▁the ▁Special ▁Coun sel ' s ▁investigation . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Michael ▁Thomas ▁F lyn n ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁M idd let own , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁one ▁of ▁nine ▁sib lings ▁born ▁to ▁Helen ▁Frances ▁( née ▁Andrew s ), ▁who ▁worked ▁in ▁real ▁estate , ▁and ▁Charles ▁Francis ▁F lyn n , ▁a ▁small - town ▁bank er , ▁both ▁ ▁C athol ics ▁of ▁Irish ▁descent . ▁ ▁F lyn n ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁in ▁management ▁science ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Military ▁Gr