doj charges dimitri simes

The U.S. Justice Department has filed charges against Dimitri Simes, a Russian-born U.S. citizen who once advised Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Simes and his wife Anastasia are accused of working for a Russian TV network that faces U.S. sanctions.

Prosecutors say the couple got over $1 million and a car with a driver for their work with Russia’s Channel One since mid-2022.

The U.S. put sanctions on Channel One after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Simes, who have a home in Virginia, are thought to be in Russia now. They’re both in their 50s and 70s.

These charges come as the U.S. worries about Russian meddling in upcoming elections.

Just a day earlier, the government charged two people from Russian media company RT. They allegedly funded a U.S. company that made pro-Russian content.

Dimitri Simes has been on the U.S. government’s radar before. He played a part in Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The Mueller report talked about Simes meeting with people close to Trump, like Jared Kushner. Simes wasn’t charged then.

Simes ran a think tank in Washington D.C. called the Center for the National Interest. This group, started by Richard Nixon, helped set up a Trump speech where the Russian ambassador was present.

After Mueller’s report came out, Simes said he didn’t do anything wrong.

He defended his recent Russian TV work too, saying he thought sharing his views was okay.

The charges against Anastasia Simes are tied to a different Russian businessman.

She allegedly got money from Alexander Udodov, who the U.S. sanctioned for backing the Russian government. Udodov has links to Russia’s prime minister and has been looked at for money laundering.

It’s not clear if the Simes have lawyers yet.

The Trump campaign hasn’t commented on the charges.

These cases show how the U.S. is cracking down on people who work with sanctioned Russian entities.

It’s part of a bigger effort to push back against Russian influence, especially around elections.

Image: rafapress, depositphotos.com

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