The United States Justice Department (DOJ) has opened an investigation into U.S. citizens working with Russian state news outlets, the New York Times (NYT) reported on Aug. 21, citing officials briefed on the investigation.
The investigation aims to mitigate the Kremlin's interference in the November presidential election, according to the NYT.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this month searched the homes of two prominent commentators, Scott Ritter, a former U.N. weapons inspector, and Dimitri Simes, an adviser to former President Donald Trump. Prosecutors have not brought charges against either party.
The officials told the NYT that more FBI raids are expected, and that criminal charges are possible.
U.S. intelligence officials issued a warning on July 9 that Russia has plans to wage information campaigns against U.S. voters during the presidential election.
Russia has been accused of using social media disinformation, bot farms, and other means to back Donald Trump against his Democratic opponents – Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden – during the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Trump is running for president a third time, and will face off against Vice President Kamala Harris in November. U.S. intelligence officials said they "have not observed a shift in Russia's preferences for the presidential race from past elections."
Ritter, whose home was raided by the FBI but who was not arrested, is a contributing writer for the Russian state news outlet RT. He also traveled to Russia and Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine in January.
The DOJ in 2017 required RT to register as a foreign agent, not a news organization, due to the Russian government's control over the agency. Ritter claimed that the warrant to search his home referenced the Foreign Agent Registration Act.
Ritter is a vocal proponent of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Simes, a U.S. citizen who immigrated from the Soviet Union in 1973, has advised former U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Trump, and advocated for improved relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Since October 2022, Simes has lived in Russia, where he hosts a weekly talk show on state television. He is reportedly under investigation for possible violations of U.S. sanctions against Russia.
Nate Ostiller
