Russian billionaire allegedly backed Butina’s activities
Maria Butina, the Russian woman charged in federal court last week with acting as an unregistered agent of her government, received financial support from Konstantin Nikolaev, a Russian billionaire with investments in U.S. energy and technology companies, according to a person familiar with testimony she gave Senate investigators.
Butina told the Senate Intelligence Committee in April that Nikolaev provided funding for a gun rights group she represented, according to the person. A spokesman for Nikolaev confirmed that he was in contact with her as she was launching the progun rights group in Russia between 2012 and 2014. He declined t o confirm whether Nikolaev gave her financial support.
Nikolaev’s fortune has been built largely through port and railroad investments in Russia. He also sits on the board of American Ethane, a Houston company that was showcased by President Donald Trump at an event in China last year, and he is an investor in a Silicon Valley startup.
Nikolaev has never met Trump, according to his spokesman.
However, Nikolaev’s son Andrey, who is studying in the United States, volunteered in the 2016 campaign i n support of Trump’s candidacy, according a person familiar with his activities. Kon- allege that she sought to meet GOP politicians and infiltrate conservative orLOS ANGELES — A feud ganizations, including the between a man and his National Rifle Association, grandmother over his girlat the direction of a Russian friend staying at the grandgovernment official, in an mother’s home exploded attempt to advance the into violence that ultimately Kremlin’s interests. led to him taking dozens of
According to prosepeople hostage inside a Los cutors, for two years, she Angeles supermarket, a traveled back and forth to relative said Sunday. the United States, often Investigators believe accompanying Russian Gene Evin Atkins, 28, shot banker Alexander Torshin his grandmother several to NRA events and other times and wounded his political meetings. Prosegirlfriend at their South Los cutors have said that her Angeles home Saturday beactivities were directed by a fore he led police on a chase, high-level Russian governwhile exchanging gunfire ment official who matches with officers, crashed into a Egland said she ran to store’s glass doors. the description of Torshin. pole outside the Trader call 911 and waited for an About three hours later, stantin Nikolaev was spotIn August 2016, she Joe’s in the city’s Silver Lake ambulance to arrive. At the Atkins agreed to handcuff ted at the Trump Intercame to Washington to neighborhood and ran insame time, police said himself and walked out the national Hotel in Washingstudy full-time as a graduside. Atkins stole his grandmothfront door, surrounded by ton, D.C., during Trump’s ate student at American Atkins was booked Suner’s car and forced his four of the hostages. He was inauguration in January University. day on suspicion of murder girlfriend into the vehicle. being held on $2 million bail 2017, according to two peoButina’s lawyer, Robert after an employee was Officers tracked the car Sunday and it wasn’t clear if ple familiar with his presDriscoll, has said she is not killed as he ran into the using a stolen-vehicle trackhe had an attorney to comence. a Russian agent but rather a supermarket, police said. ing system and tried to stop ment on the allegations.
In a court filing last student interested in learnAtkins’ cousin, Charlene the man in Hollywood, but His grandmother was week, prosecutors said ing about the American Egland, told The Associated he refused to pull over, taken to a hospital in critical Butina’s emails and chat political system. The RusPress that he had been police said. During the condition and police said logs are full of references to sian government has proarguing with his grandchase, Atkins fired at offishe had been shot seven a billionaire as the “funder” claimed Butina’s innomother “on and off for cers, shooting out the back times, but Egland, who visof her activities. They cence, promoting the hashabout two or three weeks” window of his car, police ited Madison at the hospital wrote that the billionaire is tag #freeMariaButina on over his girlfriend staying at said. on Sunday, said she had a “known Russian social media. Russian Forthe elder woman’s home. More gunfire ensued beonly been shot three times, businessman with deep ties eign Minister Sergei Lavrov “She didn’t want the girl fore Atkins crashed into a had undergone surgery and to the Russian Presidential pressed Butina’s case with over there anymore,” Egpole outside the supermarher condition was improvAdministration.” ing.SecretaryofStateMikelandsaid.ket.Themanexchanged
Prosecutors did not Pompeo in a phone call On Saturday, Atkins’ gunfire with police again Atkins, who has two identify Butina’s funder by Saturday, according to a grandmother, Mary Elizaand that’s when a 27-yeardaughters, bounced bename but said he travels statement by the Russian beth Madison, 76, was walkold Trader Joe’s employee, tween several jobs, includoften to the United States government. ing back into the home and Melyda Corado, was shot ing working as a security and was listed by Forbes Driscoll declined to told her grandson “he needs and killed, Police Chief guard, but had been repeatthis year as having a net comment on Nikolaev, but to turn some of them TVs Michel Moore said. Officers edly fired, Egland said. His worth of $1.2 billion — the said that the Russian off” when he shot her, she escorted the girlfriend from license to work as a security same as Nikolaev’s current businessman cited by prossaid. the vehicle. guard expired in November listing. ecutors was a financial supEgland said she heard Customers and employ2017, according to state re
Butina was ordered held porter of the gun-rights about six gunshots before ees frantically dove for covcords. It was not clear without bond last week group Butina founded in another cousin came runer and barricaded themwhether the particular liafter she was charged with Russia, the Right to Bear ning from the porch and selves inside storerooms cense he possessed would conspiring to work as a Arms. She met him in shouted to Egland, “I think and bathrooms as bullets have allowed him to legally Russian agent. Prosecutors person only twice, he said. Gene shot my mama!” fired by police shattered the carry a firearm. Gene Evin Atkins was arrested after evading police and holding dozens hostage in a Los Angeles Trader Joe’s.