Russians charged in collusion probe
WASHINGTON — Thirteen Russians and three Russian companies were charged Friday with an elaborate plot to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election through social media propaganda aimed at helping Republican Donald Trump and harming the prospects of his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, prosecutors announced Friday.
The indictment, brought by the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, represents the most direct allegation to date of illegal Russian meddling during the election. It says Russians created bogus internet postings, posed online as American political activists and fraudulently purchased advertisements — all with the goal of swaying political opinion during the bitterly contested race.
The intent of the meddling, the indictment says, was to “sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 presidential election.”
The indictment arises from Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the election and whether there was improper co-or- dination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.
The Russians’ “strategic goal” was to sow discord, the indictment says. By early-to-mid 2016, their efforts included supporting Trump’s campaign and disparaging Clinton. The charges say that Russians also communicated with “unwitting individuals” associated with the Trump campaign and other political activists to co-ordinate activities.
Trump himself has been reluctant to acknowledge the meddling. His spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said Friday that Trump had been briefed on the indictment but there was no other immediate comment.
According to the indictment, the Internet Research Agency, a Russian troll farm, started interfering as early as 2014 in U.S. politics, extending to the 2016 presidential election.
The defendants are charged with conspiring “to obstruct the lawful functions of the United States government through fraud and deceit,” including by making expenditures in connection with the 2016 election, failing to register as foreign agents carrying out political activities and obtaining visas through false and fraudulent statements.