Shortly after noon on Friday, U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller announced an indictment of 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities, accusing them of interfering in the 2016 presidential election and operating fake social media accounts.
In the indictment announced on Friday - the first criminal case to accuse Russians of seeking to influence the outcome of the U.S. election and support Donald Trump - Mueller describes a sweeping, years-long, multimillion-dollar conspiracy by hundreds of Russians aimed at criticizing Hillary Clinton and supporting Senator Bernie Sanders and Trump. He charged 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities and accused them of defrauding the U.S. government by interfering with the political process.
Mueller charges "defendants knowingly and intentionally conspired with each other (and with persons known and unknown to the Grand Jury) to defraud the United States by impairing, obstructing, and defeating the lawful functions of the government through fraud and deceit for the purpose of interfering with the U.S. political and electoral processes, including the presidential election of 2016."
The indictment adds that the Russians "were instructed to post content that focused on 'politics in the USA' and to 'use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest (except Sanders and Trump—we support them)'."
It gets better: the defendants reportedly worked day and night shifts to pump out messages, controlling pages targeting a range of issues, including immigration, Black Lives Matter, and they amassed hundreds of thousands of followers. They set up and used servers inside the U.S. to mask the Russian origin of the accounts.
Ultimately, and this is the punchline, the goal was to disparage Hillary Clinton and to assist the election of Donald Trump.
In other words, anyone who was disparaging Clinton, may have "unwittingly" been a collaborator of the 13 Russian "specialists" who cost Hillary the election.
The Russian organization named in the indictment - the Internet Research Agency - and the defendants began working in 2014 - so one year before the Trump candidacy was even announced - to interfere in U.S. elections, according to the indictment in Washington. They used false personas and social media while also staging political rallies and communicating with “unwitting individuals” associated with the Trump campaign, it said.
The Russians “had a strategic goal to sow discord in the U.S. political system,” according to the indictment in Washington.
The Russians also reportedly bought advertisements on U.S. social media, created numerous Twitter accounts designed to appear as if they were U.S. groups or people, according to the indictment. One fake account, @TEN_GOP account, attracted more than 100,000 online followers.
The Russians tracked the metrics of their effort in reports and budgeted for their efforts. Some, as described below, traveled to the U.S. to gather intelligence for the surreptitious campaign. They used stolen U.S. identities, including fake driver’s licenses, and contacted news media outlets to promote their activities.
The full list of named defendants in addition to the Internet Research Agency, as well as Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering, include:
- MIKHAIL IVANOVICH BYSTROV,
- MIKHAIL LEONIDOVICH BURCHIK,
- ALEKSANDRA YURYEVNA KRYLOVA,
- ANNA VLADISLAVOVNA BOGACHEVA,
- SERGEY PAVLOVICH POLOZOV,
- MARIA ANATOLYEVNA BOVDA,
- ROBERT SERGEYEVICH BOVDA,
- DZHEYKHUN NASIMI OGLY ASLANOV,
- VADIM VLADIMIROVICH PODKOPAEV,
- GLEB IGOREVICH VASILCHENKO,
- IRINA VIKTOROVNA KAVERZINA,
- VLADIMIR VENKOV
- YEVGENIY VIKTOROVICH PRIGOZHIN
Mueller’s office said that none of the defendants was in custody.
So how is Trump involved? Well, he isn't, as it now seems that collusion narrative is dead, and instead Russian involvement was unilateral. Instead, according to the indictment, the Russian operations were unsolicited and pro bono, and included "supporting Trump... and disparaging Hillary Clinton,' staging political rallies, buying political advertising while posing as grassroots U.S. groups. Oh, and communicating "with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump Campaign and with other political activists to seek to coordinate political activities."
Defendant ORGANIZATION had a strategic goal to sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Defendants posted derogatory information about a number of candidates, and by early to mid-2016, Defendants' operations included supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump ("Trump Campaign") and disparaging Hillary Clinton. Defendants made various expenditures to carry out those activities, including 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. Some Defendants, posing as U.S. persons and without revealing their Russian association, communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump Campaign and with other political activists to seek to coordinate political activities.
Furthermore, the dastardly Russians created fake accounts to pretend they are Americans:
Defendants, posing as U.S. persons and creating false U.S. personas, operated social media pages and groups designed to attract U.S. audiences. These groups and pages, which addressed divisive U.S. political and social issues, falsely claimed to be controlled by U.S. activists when, in fact, they were controlled by Defendants. Defendants also used the stolen identities of real U.S. persons to post on ORGANIZATION-controlled social media accounts. Over time, these social media accounts became Defendants' means to reach significant numbers of Americans for purposes of interfering with the U.S. political system, including the presidential election of 2016
Mueller also alleges a combination of traditional and modern espionage...
Certain Defendants traveled to the United States under false pretenses for the purpose of collecting intelligence to inform Defendants' operations. Defendants also procured and used computer infrastructure, based partly in the United States, to hide the Russian origin of their activities and to avoid detection by U.S. regulators and law enforcement.
Mueller also charges that two of the defendants received US visas and from approximately June 4, 2014 through June 26, 2014, KRYLOVA and BOGACHEVA "traveled in and around the United States, including stops in Nevada, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Louisiana, Texas, and New York to gather intelligence, After the trip, KRYLOVA and BURCHIK exchanged an intelligence report regarding the trip."
* * *
The indictment points to a broader conspiracy beyond the pages of the indictment, saying the grand jury has heard about other people with whom the Russians allegedly conspired in their efforts.
Stocks are not happy.
Rosenstein is expected to hold a briefing at 1:30pm ET. Watch it live below:
Read the indictment below (link):
Comments
Yeah, all 13 probably tried to vote!
13 an interesting number ... it does not signal good things for the world
In reply to Yeah, all 13 probably tried… by ParkAveFlasher
Concord Catering - what, were they offering chicken wings and pigs ears at the polling places?
In reply to 13 an interesting number … by Pandelis
So how often does Muller hear those demon voices in his head?
In reply to Concord Catering - what,… by Joe Davola
I wonder if any of these Russians were behind the anti-Trump rallies of November 2016?
Thousands attended protest organized by Russians on Facebook
Thousands of Americans attended a march last November organized by a Russian group that used social media to interfere in the 2016 election.
The demonstration in New York City, which took place a few days after the election, appears to be the largest and most successful known effort to date pulled off by Russian-linked groups intent on using social media platforms to influence American politics.
Sixteen thousand Facebook users said that they planned to attend a Trump protest on Nov. 12, 2016, organized by the Facebook page for BlackMattersUS, a Russian-linked group that sought to capitalize on racial tensions between black and white Americans. The event was shared with 61,000 users.
As many as 5,000 to 10,000 protesters actually convened at Manhattan's Union Square. They then marched to Trump Tower, according to media reports at the time.
The BlackMattersUS-organized rally took advantage of outrage among groups on the left following President Trump’s victory on Nov. 8 to galvanize support for its event. The group’s protest was the fourth consecutive anti-Trump rally in New York following election night, and one of many across the country.
“Join us in the streets! Stop Trump and his bigoted agenda!” reads the Facebook event page for the rally. “Divided is the reason we just fell. We must unite despite our differences to stop HATE from ruling the land.”
http://thehill.com/policy/technology/358025-thousands-attended-protest-…
In reply to So how often does Muller… by Never One Roach
13 Russians can influence US elections meanwhile US CIA and State Department spend $1 BIllion every year on opposition groups inside Russia without success.
In reply to I wonder if any of these… by Billy the Poet
Indict AIPAC. That is the real foreign interference in ALL US elections. Such hypocrisy.
At the very least, make them register as a foreign operation!
Information warfare using social media? What, you mean like the Jewish students who are paid to shape public opinion thru social media? This is no secret and has been in the news. I fail to find the difference? Psychologists call this projection, that is where you accuse others of the crimes you commit.
In reply to 13 Russians can influence US… by Belrev
That is a regime change in DC proposition.
In reply to indict AIPAC by SamAdams
If Mueller is going outside the Trump organization to indict Russians, when is he going to indict some equally criminal Democraps?
I also see that one of the 13 Russians was Valdimir. ( VLADIMIR VENKOV ) LOL
In reply to That is a regime change in… by Belrev
Soooooooo...
They basically indicted the $100,000 facebook ad russian group...
Bravo!
Ur really on the path to impeaching trump now!
LULZ!
In reply to If Mueller is going outside… by IH8OBAMA
Boy Hillary sure didnt get her money's worth. She shoulda hired these people.
Is it ok for MSM for to make all of their disparaging commentary, but not ok for people to do the same? Mueller mustve forgot about the craigslist ads hiring protesters to attack Trump rallies. What a fucking clown show.
I guess that's it Mueller gets his indictments to save face and Trump is pleased its over.
In reply to Soooooooo… by Shillinlikeavillan
This ties directly into the October 31, 2017 testimony from Facebook, Twitter and Google regarding Russian media presence on social media. Mueller is grasping here, and given that it talks about visas granted for short visits, I'm led to believe that most of these people are actually not on US soil to be arrested. This means political grandstanding via an indictment that is never going to see a courtroom where the evidence can be examined and witnesses can be cross examined. It looks like Mueller would have these people for identity theft if he had them in the US, which he probably doesn't.
I'm going to get called a Russian bot over this elsewhere. Well, maybe facetiously here. #WeAreAllRussianBotsNow
In reply to Boy Hillary sure didnt get… by overbet
Deep state pivot to keep the Russian hate alive.
In reply to This ties directly into the… by El Vaquero
And set us up for war.
In reply to Deep state pivot to keep the… by spanish inquisition
Fucking hilarious - Mueller has indicted an anti-Russian CIA operation that was run out of St. Petersburg.
http://thesaker.is/a-brief-history-of-the-kremlin-trolls/
In reply to And set us up for war. by FoggyWorld
Wow, I am going to have to keep the radio off for a couple of days. They are going to be wall to wall on this. Maybe even bump the stories where fakely sympathetic reporter cunts (FSRC) ask mother's if they miss their dead kids.
This is a fucking clownshow anymore. Jesus, THIS is what the investigation brought home? Holy fuckshit, this is a joke. Some guy had 100k followers? Really? Like anyone GAF about that? We have AIPAC making candidates kneel before them and yet some guys on Tweeter fucked around. I think that is even bullshit. If Russians really did that, they wouldn't "work in shifts" they would program some fucking bots to do this.
I can just imagine the fake outrage that that worthless kike from NY Chuckie "don't get between me and a camera" Schumer has to say about this.
This is a Matrix alright, and a cheap ass one at that.
Mueller should be taken out and horsewhipped for bringing this shit home.
Hey Mueller, I read a comment on Yahoo news that was in broken English. Go get um!
pods
In reply to Fucking hilarious - Mueller… by Shemp 4 Victory
I'm just relieved they didn't get Boris. Not this time.
Telling people the truth makes one a very desirable target.
In reply to Deep state pivot to keep the… by spanish inquisition
The bigger question is “when is Mueller going to be indicted for covering up the controlled demolition of the WTC buildings on nine eleven??”
In reply to I'm just relieved they didn… by sixsigma cygnu…
Six sig,
That is about where this investigation is going.
"Indictment for, umm, Boris Alotakrap and Biggus Dickus."
pods
In reply to The bigger question is “when… by BigCumulusClouds
So this is all they have?
In reply to Deep state pivot to keep the… by spanish inquisition
This is serious. We can't let them get Boris. He's what makes this place so fun.
pods
In reply to So this is all they have? by eatthebanksters
Hillary hired the entire Russian government with the Uranium one deal.
In reply to Boy Hillary sure didnt get… by overbet
Protestors?? HRC hired thugs who beat people up at Trump rallies. That’s a felony. Some people got hurt real bad.
In reply to Boy Hillary sure didnt get… by overbet
I wonder if Mueller is going to indict Obama for interfering in the Israeli election?
In reply to Soooooooo… by Shillinlikeavillan
1. CNN can now say Russian interference is a "proven fact".
2. "13 individuals" and "3 companies" - this is a casus belli even for the most pacifist peaceniks on ZH
3. US can now continue to meddle in Russian elections as they did since 1919 pointing to the existential thread those 13 individuals posed.
In reply to I wonder if Mueller is going… by IH8OBAMA
The US Constitution. RIP
The DoJ and Miller activities are anti-American. What else is new in occupied America?
PS
Note Trump does nothing about this unprecedented assault on Freedom of Speech and Assembly in the USA. Therefore, Trump is a willing player in these criminal activities.
In reply to I wonder if Mueller is going… by IH8OBAMA
and Brexit and the French election and Venezuela election and The Ukraine; Libya; Palestinian Territories..... lmao
In reply to I wonder if Mueller is going… by IH8OBAMA
and Brexit and the French election and Venezuela election and The Ukraine; Libya; Palestinian Territories..... lmao
In reply to I wonder if Mueller is going… by IH8OBAMA
Ohhh fake social accounts.........the horror!
( If I had known they were the equivalent of Harry Potters magic wand I would have opened a few long ago! )
Seems like Mr Mueller is in face saving mode.
What is Rod Rosenstein doing still at the FBI. He should be in prison.
In reply to Soooooooo… by Shillinlikeavillan
Media reports FBI is seriously investigating suspects going by the names:
Yuri Nasshole
Tatia Mytitz
Ivan Tobangyu
Yulik Myballz
Suka Hardick
Ivanna Spankya
Yura Duche
Lika Somnutz
Ivan Utalik Maisack
Please call the FBI if you have any information on these nefarious suspects.
In reply to If Mueller is going outside… by IH8OBAMA
Wasn't his first name, Iben?
In reply to Media reports FBI is… by Ghost of Porky
How do you say Sum Ting Wong in Russian?
In reply to Media reports FBI is… by Ghost of Porky
Don't forget Benjamin Netanyahu (AKA: Benjamin Mileikowsky). Last seen waving his missile at Syria.
In reply to Media reports FBI is… by Ghost of Porky
and hasShit....Russia has been in bed with the Dems since at least 2010.
Remember the left ALWAYS tries to implicate their opposition with exactly what they themselves have been doing.
This is their attempt "to get in front " of the coming tsunami of Russian collusion with Bammy/Hillary/JeffinK-
Uranuim One crosses BOTH sides of the aisle=and runs from NYC/DC all the way to Oregon
In reply to Media reports FBI is… by Ghost of Porky
Wow! Now THIS is a real nothingburger!
In reply to If Mueller is going outside… by IH8OBAMA
Fake news alert!
In reply to Wow! Now THIS is a real… by wee-weed up
This is so dumb... it's embarrassing.
In reply to Fake news alert! by shankster
this is my united states of what evahttps://youtu.be/IEJstE3xwkI
In reply to This is so dumb... it's… by the phantom
Yeah - The US has reached a new level of FUCKING juvenile !!
Pathetic !!
In reply to This is so dumb... it's… by the phantom
This is it?? the Russians disparaged Hillary Clinton?? 100% face-palm right now.
In reply to This is so dumb... it's… by the phantom
And....OMG....loved them up some Bernie!!!
LOOOOOOOOOL
Go Mueller you'll be an ethics professor in no time.
In reply to This is it?? the Russians… by you_are_cleared_hot
So.... what's the crime? Russians creating Facebook accounts? I seriously don't get it
In reply to Wow! Now THIS is a real… by wee-weed up
about as shocking as Barry's Grinder account...
In reply to So.... what's the crime?… by carni
Ya I should BTFD
In reply to Wow! Now THIS is a real… by wee-weed up
Not a lawyer but this looks lame to me. Unless Mueller is holding back of course.
Trump may be innocent on all this but how many around him are going to get snared for totally unrelated issues to the investigation. It appears to me that Mueller is trying to wall of Trump form all his supporters and that is not a good thing. Time for Trump to give Asssange a free ride for the DNC Hack info.
Meanwhile not a single person associated with Hildabeast is being investigated. Go figure!
In reply to If Mueller is going outside… by IH8OBAMA
Mueller doesn't have the intelligence to "hold back" anything.
In reply to Not a lawyer but this looks… by Ghost of PartysOver
You don't have to be a lawyer to know this is P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C .
In reply to Not a lawyer but this looks… by Ghost of PartysOver
IH8 - Exactly. When Donna Brazille admitted to giving Hillary the Debate questions before the debate...was that illeaglly trying to influence an election?
In reply to If Mueller is going outside… by IH8OBAMA
When this rebounds off the teflon president it will be the death of (((them))). If it doesn't bounce everybody is completely fucked.
Pull It!
In reply to If Mueller is going outside… by IH8OBAMA
Well, it looks like Mueller if firmly in Hitlery's corner now.
In reply to That is a regime change in… by Belrev
Pagination