I believe the friend in the other state can ship the gun direct to your FFL in your state. I do not have an FFL and have shipped several handguns direct to FFL dealers in other states. Of course state laws may not allow this but Federal laws do allow such.

Whether this was a straw purchase, is an interesting question. Your friend must have answered on the FFL form that he was buying the gun for his own use. I do not know whether any subsequent transfer of the gun through an FFL dealer is a mitigating factor.