By
Jonathan Dienst and Rebecca Shabad - NBC News
Federal agents on Wednesday executed a search warrant at Rudy Giuliani's apartment in Manhattan, within the investigation that is being carried out against the former mayor of New York and lawyer for former President Donald Trump for his
links with the Ukrainian authorities
.
It is unknown what the agents were looking for and what they seized during the search;
Giuliani did not reply to messages from NBC News.
Federal investigations into Giuliani's overseas business
were halted last year
due to a dispute over investigative tactics, as Trump unsuccessfully sought reelection, and amid Giuliani's prominent role in contesting the results of those elections after the defeat.
[The prosecutor who investigated cases related to Trump leaves his position when he is fired by the president]
Federal agents
have been investigating Giuliani's dealings with Ukrainian officials.
Last December, prosecutors debated the possibility of filing a legal request for Giuliani's electronic communications.
Trump lawyer calls voting by mail "unacceptable" and insists on legal action
Nov. 7, 202002: 49
Prosecutors for the Southern District of New York contacted Justice Department officials in Washington to gain access to their emails.
The Wall Street Journal reported in October 2019 that those New York prosecutors were
reviewing Giuliani's bank records
as part of an investigation into his business in Ukraine.
[Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani is hospitalized for coronavirus in Washington DC]
Giuliani was a key figure in the events leading up to Trump's first impeachment trial,
relying on Ukrainian officials
and members of his parliament to try to hurt Joe Biden as he ran for president.
Democrats said there was strong evidence that Trump had abused his power by pressuring Ukraine to announce investigations into Biden and his son, Hunter, while withholding nearly $ 400 million in aid. They also said that Trump obstructed Congress by refusing to release any documents related to his actions.