Grand Jury Indicts Russians Linked To Interference In 2016 Election

A federal grand jury has indicted 13 Russians and three Russian entities in connection with the attack on the 2016 presidential election.

The defendants are "accused of violating U.S. criminal laws in order to interfere with U.S. elections and political processes," according to a statement from the special counsel's office. The indictment charges them with "conspiracy to defraud the United States, three defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and five defendants with aggravated identity theft."

Some of the people described in the court documents even traveled to the United States or "communicated with unwitting individuals associated with" President Trump's campaign "and with other political activists to seek to coordinate political activities," the indictment says.

The charges include some of the most detail yet from Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller about who inside of Russia waged the broad campaign of "active measures" against the United States.

At a Friday afternoon news conference, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller's investigation, called the Russian efforts "information warfare" with "the stated goal of spreading distrust against the candidates and the political system in general."

However, Rosenstein underscored that there is "no allegation in this indictment that any American was a knowing participant in this illegal activity" and "no allegation that this activity actually altered the outcome of the 2016 election."

The actions the Russian individuals and entities allegedly carried out — some of which date back to 2014 — are extraordinarily detailed and complex. The largest company indicted, the Internet Research Agency (IRA), was based in St. Petersburg, Russia, and was funded through shell companies by another individual indicted. The IRA employed as many as 80 people focused on the sole project of disrupting and influencing U.S. elections, according to the indictment. By September 2016, the company had a monthly budget of more than $1.25 million.

The government alleges two defendants traveled to the U.S. and others attempted to hide their Russian origins, even using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in the U.S. so it would appear their activity originated there. The Russians also paid real Americans to work for them as part of their interference campaign, however, "the Americans did not know they were communicating with Russians," according to the indictment.

Other actions the defendants allegedly undertook, according to the indictment, include "buying political advertisements on social media in the names of U.S. persons and entities. Defendants also staged political rallies inside the United States, and while posing as U.S. grassroots entities and U.S. persons, and without revealing their Russian identities and organization affiliation, solicited and compensated real U.S. persons to promote or disparage candidates." - More, NPR

Grand Jury Indicts Russians Linked To Interference In 2016 Election