Disgraced retired General Michael Flynn has serious legal troubles that are growing by the day, which could result in his ending up in jail. In the latest twist in the drama surrounding Trump's former national security adviser, the Department of Defense's inspector general is looking into taking improper payments to him from foreign governments after his retirement from the Army. Those payments are strictly prohibited by law.

The DOD's inspector general sent a letter on April 1 to the Republican Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Jason Chaffetz.

The letter said in part that it was looking into whether General Flynn had "failed to obtain required approval" before accepting payments from foreign governments. even as a retired officer, he could not accept payments unless "congressional consent is first obtained." His lawyer has indicated claims that his client, General Flynn, informed the DOD that he would be traveling to Russia, but he was not specific whether the government was told he would be paid.

$45,000 Russian payment from Russia under DOD scrutiny

The required disclosure form filled out by General Flynn to become the National Security Adviser was released by the Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings.

In January of 2016, Flynn filed an SF-86 in order to renew his security clearance. Payments from foreign governments should have been revealed there but General Flynn did not, failing to mention a $45,000 payment he received from Russia to attend an RT dinner. That money was for attending a dinner that included him seated next to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The issue isn't accepting the money, which is not illegal, but failure to disclose the payment and not seeking permission to accept them.

Vox.com reports that Steve Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas specializing in these national security matters, General Flynn could receive jail time and get "locked up." The crime would be lying to federal investigators in making a "materially false" statement.

U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions likely will recuse himself from

The matter would go to the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has already recused himself from these "Russian/Trump-related matters." Should AG Sessions go back on his word, he would create a political firestorm.

In an incredible twist, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer blamed former President Obama for the General Flynn controversy. He blamed Obama for giving him security clearance in 2015. A former Obama administration communications director, Jen Psaki, called the charge from Spicer as "absurd."
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