Elena Khusyaynova
Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova(Russian:Елена Алексеевна Хусяйнова) is a Russianaccountantbased inSaint Petersburgwho was charged in September 2018 withconspiracy to defraud the United Statesbyinterfering in the 2016and2018 U.S. elections.[1]She is accused of managing the finances of "Project Lakhta",a $35 million social media operation that used fakeTwitter,Facebookand other profiles to spread misinformation and discord.[1]The crimes are alleged to have occurred from 2014 to 2018.[2]Khusyaynova reacted to the indictment with irony about the ability of "a simple Russian woman" to "help the citizens of asuperpowerto elect their president ".[3]
Project Lakhta was conducted by theInternet Research Agencyand funded by variousConcord Cateringaffiliates, under the direction ofRussian oligarchYevgeny Prigozhin.All were previously charged with related offenses as part of theSpecial Counsel investigation.[1]The case was filed in theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginiaby theUnited States Department of Justicewith assistance from theFederal Bureau of Investigation(FBI). The charges were not filed by the Special Counsel's office because the associated activities also related to the 2018 elections, which are out ofMueller'sjurisdiction.[4]
Khusyaynova is also thechief financial officerofUSA Really,a conspiratorial website run by a Russian media executive and Kremlin policy adviser.[5]
See also
[edit]- Criminal charges brought in the Special Counsel investigation (2017–present)
- Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
- Russian interference in the 2018 United States elections
References
[edit]- ^abcPolantz, Katelyn (19 October 2018)."Russian national charged with attempting to interfere in 2018 midterms".CNN.Retrieved20 January2019.
- ^Holt, David;FBI(28 September 2018)."Criminal complaint – United States of America v. Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova"(PDF).United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.Retrieved20 January2018– viaCNN.
- ^Pleitgen, Frederik (22 October 2018)."Woman indicted in US meddling mocks charges".CNN.Event occurs at 0:42.Retrieved20 January2019.
- ^"US indicts Russian over attempt to interfere in November election".Al Jazeera.Reuters.18 October 2018.Retrieved20 January2019.
- ^Markay, Lachlan; Sterling Jones, Dean (26 October 2018)."D.C.-Based Russian Media Venture Boasts that Indicted Kremlin Operative Is Its CFO".The Daily Beast.Retrieved29 October2018.
External links
[edit]- Copy of the complaint
- USA ReallywebsiteArchived2021-10-06 at theWayback Machine