Russian National Charged With Conspiring To Have U.S. Citizens Act As Illegal Agents Of The Russian Government

WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today in Tampa, Florida, charging a Russian national, working on behalf of the Russian government and in conjunction with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), with allegedly orchestrating a years-long foreign malign influence campaign that used various U.S. political groups to sow discord, spread pro-Russian propaganda, and interfere in elections within the United States.

As alleged in the indictment, from at least December 2014 until March 2022, Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a resident of Moscow, together with at least three Russian officials, engaged in a years-long foreign malign influence campaign targeting the United States. Ionov is the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow and funded by the Russian government. Ionov utilized AGMR to carry out Russia’s influence campaign.

“As court documents show, Ionov allegedly orchestrated a brazen influence campaign, turning U.S. political groups and U.S. citizens into instruments of the Russian government,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will not allow Russia to unlawfully sow division and spread misinformation inside the United States.”

According to the indictment, Ionov — working under the supervision of the FSB and with the Russian government’s support — recruited political groups within the United States, including U.S. Political Group 1 in Florida, U.S. Political Group 2 in Georgia, and U.S. Political Group 3 in California, and exercised direction or control over them on behalf of the FSB. Specifically, Ionov provided financial support to these groups, directed them to publish pro-Russian propaganda, coordinated and funded direct action by these groups within the United States intended to further Russian interests, and coordinated coverage of this activity in Russian media outlets. Ionov also relayed detailed information about this influence campaign to three FSB officials.

“Secret foreign government efforts to influence American elections and political groups threaten our democracy by spreading misinformation, distrust and mayhem,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department is committed to ensuring U.S. laws protecting transparency in the electoral process and the political system are not undermined through foreign malign influence.”

According to the indictment, Ionov allegedly targeted U.S. Political Group 1 based in St. Petersburg, Florida. In May 2015, Ionov funded an all-expense paid trip to Russia for the leader of U.S. Political Group 1 (Unindicted Co-Conspirator-1, UIC-1) in order to “communicate on future cooperation” between U.S. Political Group 1 and AGMR. Following that trip, and for at least the next seven years, Ionov exercised direction and control over senior members of U.S. Political Group 1.

“The prosecution of this criminal conduct is essential to protecting the American public when foreign governments seek to inject themselves into the American political process,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to investigate these events, and we will continue to follow the evidence to ensure justice is done.”

Early in the conspiracy, senior members of U.S. Political Group 1, UIC-1, UIC-2, and UIC-3 exchanged emails about the fact that Ionov was working on behalf of the Russian Government. For example, in September 2015, Ionov paid for UIC-1 to attend an AGMR-sponsored “Dialogue of Nations” conference in Moscow. Upon his return to Florida, UIC-1 reported to the leadership of U.S. Political Group 1 that AGMR is “a solid institution of Russian politic,” and that it was “clear” that AGMR was “an instrument of [the] Russian government,” which, UIC-1 wrote, did not “disturb us.” The following week, in an email discussion, U.S. Political Group 1 leaders observed that it was “more than likely” that the Russian government was using AGMR “to utilize forces inside of the U.S. to sew [sic] division inside the United States.”

“The impact of Russian malign foreign influence cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will aggressively pursue any foreign government that attempts to divide American citizens and poison our democratic process.”

Ionov used his control over U.S. Political Group 1 leaders to foster discord within the United States, to spread pro-Russian propaganda under the guise of a domestic political organization, and to interfere in local elections. For example, in January 2016, Ionov guaranteed financing for — and ultimately funded — a four-city protest tour undertaken by U.S. Political Group 1 in support of a “Petition on Crime of Genocide against African People in the United States,” which it had previously submitted to the United Nations at Ionov’s direction. Later, in 2017 and 2019, Ionov monitored and supported the St. Petersburg, Florida, political campaigns of UIC-3 and UIC-4. In 2019, before the primary election, Ionov wrote to a Russian official that he had been “consulting every week” on the campaign. After UIC-4 advanced to the general election, FSB Officer 1 wrote to Ionov that “our election campaign is kind of unique,” and asked, “are we the first in history?” Ionov later sent FSB Officer 1 additional details about the election, referring to UIC-4 as the candidate “whom we supervise.”

According to the indictment, Ionov’s relationship with U.S. Political Group 1 continued until at least March 2022. Specifically, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Political Group 1 repeatedly hosted Ionov via video conference to discuss the war, during which Ionov falsely stated that anyone who supported Ukraine also supported Nazism and white supremacy. In a report to the FSB, Ionov explained that he had enlisted U.S. Political Group 1 to support Russia in the “information war unleashed” by the West.

Alongside his malign foreign influence efforts with U.S. Political Group 1, Ionov also exercised direction and control over U.S. Political Group 3, an organization based in California whose primary goal was to promote California’s secession from the United States. In January and February of 2018, Ionov supported U.S. Political Group 3’s efforts — led by the organization’s founder (UIC-6)—to orchestrate a protest demonstration at the California Capitol building in Sacramento. Ionov partially funded the efforts and attempted to direct UIC-6 to physically enter the governor’s office. Later, Ionov sent various media reports covering the demonstration and U.S. Political Group 3’s broader efforts to FSB Officer 1, writing that FSB Officer 1 had asked for “turmoil” and stating, “there you go.” 

According to the indictment, Ionov also directed the efforts of U.S. Political Group 2, based in Atlanta. For example, as recently as March 2022, Ionov paid for members of U.S. Political Group 2 — including its founder (UIC-5) — to travel from Atlanta to San Francisco to protest at the headquarters of a social media company that had placed content restrictions on posts supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ionov sent UIC-5 designs for signs used at the protest and funded cross-country travel for UIC-5 and other members of U.S. Political Group 2. After the protest, Ionov sent UIC-5 a picture of a Russian news website’s social media page, which displayed a Russian-language news story about the protest.   

Ionov is charged with conspiring to have U.S. citizens act as illegal agents of the Russian government. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan, Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Demetrius Sumner of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source-FBI

The Oyo state Council of the Nigeria Labor Congress(NLC) has called on Nigerians to support concerned citizens to actualize an end to the discouraging attitude of the Federal Government towards the resolution of the lingering industrial action embarked upon by lecturers under the aegies of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU).

This call was made on Monday by the Secretary of the Union, Comrade Aribatise Adebayo  at state secretariat of the union in Ibadan, Nigeria.

'' Following the directive of our national leadership on 30th June, 2022, Nigerians ought to join in the solidarity protests with the lecturers. It is a fight for all and sundry,'' Comrade Adebayo stated

Former Oyo state Governor, Senator Rasidi Ladoja has expressed reservations over the wrong attitude of certain political office holders in the Government at all levels.

Senator Ladoja, who is also the Otun-Olubadan of Ibadanland made this known in an interaction with Journalists on Saturday at his Ondo street, Bodija, Ibadan, Nigeria, home.

''We should serve God and serve humanity. Some of us came into government for the glam or the possible money that would be there. We thank God that are still alive this year. We thank God,'' the former Governor stated.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The antidote to all forms of insecurity is a functional democracy run through high regards for fairness, justice and equity.
Any alteration to a functional justice system and equitable distribution of material resources  to the people without marginalization of any kind will ever hurt the polity.
The Holy Quran 30 : 41-42 refers, ''Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of the need that the hands of many have earned, that Allah may give them a taste of some of their deeds, in order that they may turn back from evil. Say : Travel along the earth and see what was the end of those before you. Most of them were idolaters(driving agents of indiscipline and corruption).
If the past is bad, sense and sensibilities demand that there must be damage control to correct today's anomalies. The failure to set up this appropriate measure in that respect will impede development.
Leaders of thought must proceed with sanity promotion exercise using the due process of the culture of integrity, education for civility and development, religion for discipline, moral regulation and control to be able to promote credible leadership, good governance for the wellness of the people in an orderly manner expected of every decent society.
To say the least, the arrest of offenders must proceed towards  the diligent prosecution of their cases. For example, murder should ordinarily attract the death penalty to curb and prevent  future murderous activities under any guise.
In Nigeria, for example, no culprit once apprehended must be transferred to Abuja, where often times they are never tried but released to embark again on their aborted missions.
Read-Profit from this
If arson, murder, kidnapping and other related crimes are committed in Yorubaland, there is no justified cause to transfer such suspects to Abuja, most especially when it involves indigenes of other states outside the states of the committed crimes. If there is a constitutional bottleneck on it, let it be resolved, restructured and amended immediately.
The judiciary in a democracy must  be made to be alive for the survival of this political philosophy already adopted to rule over the people.
The Holy Quran 5 : 8 refers,, ''O ye who believe! Stand out firmly to Allah as witnesses to fear thee, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety : and fear Allah is well acquainted with all that you do. ''
Causative factors of insecurity, therefore, such as hunger and poverty have damaged the fabric of democracy for our leaders to go crazy, soaking their hands in indecent acts to promote the culture of timocracy, kelptocracy and ego-centeredness of the medieval times, making the people resort to bestial styles of lfie that has already threatened the glorious peaceful co-existence. There is therefore, a dire need for effective damage control based on doing things accordingly and rightly too, through the fear of Allah as the only antidote.
 

Bad manners corrupt the moral essence of religion and disrupt the expected perfect God/man relation.

This is the message in the Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 13: 13, that religion as faith would only be functional and beneficial as a constructive environment for peaceful co-existence. 

''3 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.''

For this to happen, individual adherents must offer just worship based on their belief in their creator the almighty God.

However, all scriptures submit that there can be no development in an environment of chaos, hence love becomes basic and sacrosanct to any religious practice to have an impact on the people and the society.

In the book of Isaiah 59: 1-4, the readiness of God to accept our offer, provide for us, and protect us from all forms of evil is established as a divine design.

However, divine intervention will never be realized in an environment of iniquities.

''1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.''

The Holy Quran equally corroborates and establishes the importance of love in the life cycle of every person-platonic or otherwise.

The Holy Quran 30: 21 with the essence of marriage, family cohesion, and a happy home formation as case studies states, ''And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them. And He has put LOVE and MERCY between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect.''

It is very unfortunate that Nigeria is currently experiencing a gun and sword state of insecurity, where religion is playing a catalyst role to fule the chaos rather than dampening the state of commotion. This is because individual adherents live by hearsay and less of being scripture compliant. Quackery in the houses of God, therefore, offers a satanic state of profanity. This is why the home, society, and the nation are now difficult to be controlled through the moral lessons of the scripture.

For the world to know peace, and Nigeria to enjoy peaceful co-existence, individual worship must understand the admonitions and guide in the scripture of choice and apply the same to suit real-life situations without going out of bounds of the dictates of God. After all, no religion teaches evil.

Concerned members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria(ASCSN)(Federal) Oyo state chapter have resolved to collectively work for the emergence of a charismatic leader that is driven by passion.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt                                                       -Legalizing Crime and Criminality
This resolution was reached at a congress held on Monday at the Federal Secretariat, Ikolaba, Ibadan, Nigeria.
The concerned members expressed disappointment over the stagnant state of affairs of the union in the state, blaming it on the docile and self-centered personalities who constitute the executive.

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality                       

  -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach
''We have resolved to work for the election of charismatic and visonray executives who are driven by passion. In the space of just four years, the union is dead in Oyo state. This is sad. The executives are docile. We are ready to join hands together to reverse this ugly trend. The outgoing executives have betrayed our common cause. Nothing has happened that has made workers proud of the union in the last four years. We shall look elsewhere for people who can champion our cause,'' the members concluded.
Those at the congress included Comrades Andrew Emelieze, Femi Ogunbayo, Adeolu Adedeji, Olanrewaju Osinubi, Paul Balogun, Olaniyi Ajibosho among several others.

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Journalists in Nigeria have been advised to shun defending the political class for monetary benefits.
This advice was given on Tuesday by a former Kano state Governor, Senator Rabiu Kawkawnso, who is also a Presidential Aspirant of the New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP) in his good will message to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day 2022, in a program organized by the Oyo state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) IN Ibadan, Nigeria.
The Presidential aspirant was represented by Barrister Ademola Ayoade.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt                                                        -Legalizing Crime and Criminality
''On a day like this, it is imperative for all hands to be on deck, as we all look forward to the 2023 General Elections. Jounrnalists across the country, must avoid being the mouthpiece for politicians and political parties, but poractice the profession within the ambit of their professional ethics. It is also of necessity to remind you all that your lives must remain precious and should  not be sacrificed for any pecuniary interest. I strongly implore you to be responsible at all times, as you are trying to b e responsive in your reportage,  as we all lok up to the 2023 General Elections,'' Senator Kawkwanso stated.

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

The present focus of political office holders on the 2023 elections instead of the unabated kidnaapings, killings, ritual killings and other violent crimes shows that they are inhuman.

Read- Helplessness in the Face of Dirt                                                    -Legalizing Crime and Criminality
This assertion was made by the Treasurer of the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Labor Congress(NLC)Comrade Ademola Babalola on the sidelines of the 2022 Workers' day celebrations in Ibadan, Nigeria.
''Those in power are not concerned about the kidnappings, killings, ritual killings and other violent crimes, they are concentrating on the 2023 elections. They are insensitive and inhuman. We are living in fear, no security everywhere. We are praying for God's intervention,'' Comrade Babalola concluded.

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality                   -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate