Miami, Apr 19 (EFE).- Four Americans and three Russians were formally accused by a grand jury in Tampa (Florida) of carrying out in the United States an “evil influence” campaign in favor of Russia, which included interfering in local elections, reported the Prosecutor’s Office.
The indictment alleges that the Russian defendants “recruited, financed, and directed American political groups to act as unregistered illegal agents of the Russian government and sow discord and disseminate pro-Russian propaganda.”
The main defendant is Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a Moscow resident who was the founder and chairman of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), a Moscow-based organization funded by the Russian government.
Ionov allegedly used the AGMR to carry out the US campaign, which was led and supervised by Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (FSB) officers, including fellow defendants Aleksey Borisovich Sukhodolov and Yegor Sergeyevich Popov.
None of them are in the US.
“The accused intelligence officers, in particular, participated in the covert financing and direction of candidates for local offices within the United States,” said the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle Judicial District of Florida.
The statement mentions that a separate criminal complaint was filed in the District of Columbia accusing Russian national Natalia Burlinova of conspiring with an FSB officer to act as an illegal agent of Russia in the United States.
As part of the campaign, Ionov allegedly recruited members of the African People’s Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement (collectively, APSP) in Florida, Black Hammer in Georgia, and a California organization named in the indictment as Political Group 3 to act as agents of Russia in the United States.
The American defendants are Omali Yeshitela, 81, president and founder of APSP, Penny Joanne Hess and Jesse Nevel, members of the same group, and Augustus C. Romain Jr., alias Gazi Kodzo, who was a leader of APSP and founder of Black Hammer in Georgia.
All of them are listed as residents of St. Petersburg and St. Louis (Missouri) in the indictment and, according to the Tampa Bay Times, as of Tuesday they were not in custody.
“On the advice of my attorney, I am unable to make a statement or comment on the current allegation. However, I look forward to my day in court,” Yeshitela said in a statement, who when the case began denied the allegations.
“Specifically, Ionov provided financial support to these groups, ordered them to publish pro-Russian propaganda, coordinated and financed direct action by these groups within the United States with the intent to advance Russian interests, and coordinated coverage of this activity in the mainstream media. Russian communication,” said the press release from the Prosecutor’s Office.
In addition, Ionov, Sukhodolov, and Popov conspired to directly and substantially influence the United States election by clandestinely financing and directing the political campaign of a private candidate for local office in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2019.
Ionov and Popov allegedly intended this election interference plot to extend beyond the 2019 local election cycle in St. Petersburg.
“Russia’s foreign intelligence service allegedly weaponized our First Amendment rights – freedoms Russia denies its own citizens – to divide Americans and interfere in US elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, of the Justice Department’s Homeland Security Division.
“The department will not hesitate to expose and prosecute those who sow discord and corrupt US elections in the service of hostile foreign interests, regardless of whether the culprits are US citizens or foreign persons abroad.”
“Efforts by the Russian government to secretly influence the US election will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
