Group chat linked to Roger Stone shows ties among Jan. 6 figures

It was known as FOS — or Friends of Stone — and while its members shifted over time, they were a motley cast of characters.

There were “Stop the Steal” organizers, rightwing influencers, Florida state legislative aides and more than one failed candidate loyal to former President Donald Trump. One participant ran a website that promoted disinformation about the Capitol attack. Another was an officer in the Army Reserve allied with Michael Flynn, Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser.

At least three members of the group chat are now facing charges in connection with the riot at the Capitol in January 2021. They include Owen Shroyer, the right-hand man of the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones; Enrique Tarrio, the onetime chairman of the Proud Boys; and Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers militia.

But the focus of the chat was always the man whose photo topped its home page: Roger Stone, a longtime political operative and adviser to Trump.

While little is known about what was said on the chat, the membership list of Friends of Stone, provided to The New York Times by one of its participants, offers a kind of road map to Stone’s associations, showing their scope and nature in the critical period after the 2020 election.

During that time, Stone was involved with a strikingly wide array of people who participated in efforts to challenge the vote count and keep Trump in the White House.

Some of the 47 people on the list are identified only by nicknames or initials, and Stone had pre-existing political ties with many of them. Still, as prosecutors deepen their inquiry into the storming of the Capitol, the list suggests Stone had the means to be in private contact with key players in the events of Jan. 6 — political organizers, farright extremists and influential media figures who subsequently played down the attack.