Special counsel Robert Mueller filed his first criminal charges against Russian nationals and businesses on Friday for what he called a wide-ranging effort to undermine the 2016 presidential election, including by "supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump."
The indictment charges 13 Russian nationals and three businesses – including an internet firm tied to the Kremlin – with conspiracy, identity theft, and failing to register as foreign agents. Prosecutors said officials at that firm, the Internet Research Agency, described their work as "information warfare against the United States," and their goal as "spreading distrust toward the candidates and the political system."
In the indictment, Mueller charged that some of the Russians, posing as Americans, "communicated with unwitting individuals" associated with Trump's 2016 campaign "to seek to coordinate political activities."
The charges are the government's most detailed accounting to date of an effort by Russian operatives to sow distrust in the U.S. political system and to influence the outcome of the presidential election. Among those indicted was Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian businessman dubbed "Putin's chef" by Russian media.
Prosecutors allege that the Russian Internet Research Agency and others spread messages on social media to promote Trump's candidacy and to criticize his political rival Hillary Clinton. They also alleged that some of the Russian operatives organized rallies supporting Trump and traveled to the United States to gather information.
Trump on Friday responded to the indictments, saying they show "no collusion" on the part of his campaign and claiming the election was not impacted.
The operatives were clear about their motives. In one internal memo, prosecutors said, the Internet Research Agency told its employees to "use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest (except Sanders and Trump - we support them)."
Prosecutors charged that in 2014, the agency, which employs hundreds of people, established a so-called “translator project” with 80 employees to focus on the United States. At least two traveled to the United States to collect intelligence for their “influence operations.”
As the 2016 campaign progressed, the Internet Research Agency churned out graphics and fractious social media messages. Prosecutors said they impersonated Americans to set up Russian bank accounts that they used to purchase online political advertisements, which were seldom subtle. “Ohio Wants Hillary 4 Prison,” an ad posted in July 2016 said. Another, in October, said “Hillary is a Satan, and her crimes and lies had proved just how evil she is.”
They also posed as Americans to gather information about the campaign. In June 2016, for example, prosecutors said that the Russians "and their co-conspirators" communicated with a "real U.S. person affiliated with a Texas-based grassroots" organization who suggested they focus on politically competitive "purple states."
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who supervises Mueller's investigation, said that the charges do not allege that the operation "altered the outcome of the election." Nor, he said, do they suggest that any Americans knew they were dealing with Russian operatives.
The charges are the latest salvo in Mueller's investigation of Russian election interference. Last year, his office brought charges against four people tied to Trump's campaign, including his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his ex-national security adviser Mike Flynn. Two, Flynn and George Papadopoulos, pleaded guilty to working with FBI agents and agreed to cooperate with the investigation.
Mueller’s office also unsealed charges against another American on Friday, alleging that Richard Pinedo had set up bank accounts using stolen identities. Pinedo agreed to plead guilty to the charge and cooperate with investigators.
Other parts of the operation appeared more focused on picking at Americans' political divisions. After Trump was elected, Rosenstein said, the Russian operatives organized competing rallies on the same day both supporting and opposing him.
To read the full indictment, click here.
