Trump's ex-NSA Michael Flynn charged for lying about Russia links

America's Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) has charged President Trump's ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn with "lying" over his contacts with Russia.

Flynn resigned in February after being under fire for weeks over his links to the Russian government. He was reported to have discussed the possibility of lifting US sanctions on Russia before Trump took office.

Flynn had promised former US vice-president Pence that he had not discussed US sanctions with the Russians, but transcripts of intercepted communications by US officials later showed that the subject had come up in conversations between him and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak.

Such contacts are potentially in violation of a law banning US private citizens from engaging in foreign policy, known as the Logan Act.

The FBI charged Flynn with one count of lying. 

A court document showed Flynn was charged for lying about his private discussions with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, regarding US sanctions being imposed on Moscow by the government former president Barack Obama.

The former US national security advisor is scheduled to appear in court today on hearing related to making "false, fictitious and fraudulent representations" to the FBI.