Special Counsel Robert Mueller has released the indictment of 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities for allegedly interfering in the 2016 presidential election. The indictment charges all of the defendants with conspiracy to defraud the United States, three defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and five with aggravated identity theft.
The indictment relates to individuals who in various capacities worked on behalf of the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a St. Petersburg-based “troll farm” allegedly responsible for sowing disinformation over social media in the lead up to the 2016 election. Since around 2014, the IRA’s effort was allegedly funded by Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin and companies he controlled, including Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering.
“Defendants conspired to obstruct the lawful functions of the United States government through fraud and deceit, including by making expenditures in connection with the 2016 U.S. presidential election without proper regulatory disclosure; failing to register as foreign agents carrying out political activities within the United States; and obtaining visas through false and fraudulent statements,” the indictment reads.
Notably, the indictment suggests the efforts were “supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump (‘Trump Campaign’) and disparaging Hillary Clinton.”
See more of The Cipher Brief's coverage on the Internet Research Agency and their role in Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 elections here.
