Russia investigation: Charges filed, details could arrive Monday
A federal grand jury on Friday approved the first charges in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, various sources to major media outlets all report. The details could be unsealed as early as Monday.
U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in January that Russia attempted to interfere in the election to try to help President Donald Trump defeat Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton through a campaign of hacking and releasing embarrassing emails, and disseminating propaganda via social media to discredit her campaign.
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The Russia also colluded with the DNC to produce the now discredited Trump dossier and may be linked to the Russian hack of John Podesta’s email which resulted in countless documents landing on Wikileaks ahead of the final November vote.
The team of special counsel Robert Mueller brought charges before a grand jury and attorneys from Mueller’s office were at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., on Friday, including one of his senior prosecutors who specializes in fraud cases.
ABC News confirmed a filing was made at the court Friday.
Mueller was appointed to lead the investigation a week after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was heading a federal probe into possible collusion with Russia.
“If the Special Counsel finds it necessary and appropriate, the Special Counsel is authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters,” Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said when Mueller was appointed.
