He is a known 'associate' of criminals. [=he is known to associate with criminals; people know that he works with or spends time with criminals]
She was promoted from assistant editor to 'associate' editor and may soon be promoted to senior editor.
He was 'associated' [='connected, identified'] 'with' a group of radicals in the government.
(..) Carmine Cuneo from the Bronx, and from Brooklyn Philip Tattaglia. And from Staten Island we have with us Victor Strachi. And the other associates that came as far as from California and Kansas City and all the other territories of the country. Thank you. How did things ever get so far? (..)1972 The Godfather