An indictment was unsealed today in Tampa, Florida, charging a Russian citizen, 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 and 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, Moscow resident Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, along with at least three Russian officials, engaged in a year-long foreign malign influence campaign targeting the United States. Inov is the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow and funded by the Russian government. Inov used AGMR to conduct a Russian influence campaign.
“Ionov allegedly orchestrated a brass influence campaign, turning US political groups and US 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 illegally sow division and spread misinformation inside the United States.”
According to the indictment, Ionov – working under the supervision of the FSB and with the support of the Russian government – recruited political groups within the United States, including US Political Group 1 in Florida, US Political Group 2 in Georgia , and United States Political Group 3 in California, and has exercised direction or control over them on behalf of the Federation of Small Businesses. In particular, Ionov provided financial support to these groups, directed them to publish pro-Russian propaganda, direct action coordinated and financed by these groups within the United States with the intention of promoting Russian interests, and coordinated coverage of this activity in Russian media. Inov also conveyed detailed information about this influence campaign to three officers from the Federation of Small Businesses.
“Secret foreign government efforts to influence American elections and political groups threaten our democracy by spreading misinformation, mistrust and chaos,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice. “The department is committed to ensuring that US laws protecting transparency in the electoral process and political system are not undermined by foreign malign influence.”
According to the indictment, it is alleged that Ionov targeted the United States Political Group 1 in St. Petersburg, Florida. In May 2015, Ionov funded an all-expenses-paid trip to Russia for the leader of US Political Group 1 (Unfamiliar Co-Conspirator-1, UIC-1) in order to “communicate on future cooperation” between Political Group 1 of the US and AGMR. . Following that trip, and for at least the next seven years, Ionov exercised direction and control over senior members of US Political Group 1.
“Prosecuting this criminal conduct is essential to protecting the American public when foreign governments attempt 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 incidents, and we will continue to follow the evidence to ensure that justice is done.”
Early in the conspiracy, senior members of United States 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 the “Dialogue of Nations” conference sponsored by AGMR in Moscow. Upon his return to Florida, UIC-1 reported to the leadership of US Political Group 1 that AGMR was a “solid organization of Russian politics,” and that it was “clear” that AGMR was “a tool of the Russian [government],” which, UIC-1 wrote, “didn’t disturb us.” The following week, in an email discussion, US Political Group 1 leaders observed that it was “more than likely” that the Russian government was using AGMR “to use forces inside the United States to sew a division [sic] inside the United States.”
“The impact of Russian malign foreign influence cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division. “The FBI will pursue any foreign government that seeks to divide American citizens and poison our democratic process.”
Ionov used his control over the leaders of US Political Group 1 to foster discord within the US, to spread pro-Russian propaganda under the guise of a domestic political organization, and to interfere in local elections. For example, in January 2016, Inov underwrote funding for – and eventually funded – a four-city protest tour held by US Political Group 1 in support of a “Petition on the Crime of Genocide against African People in the United States,” which he had. previously submitted to the United Nations at the direction of Ionov. Later, in 2017 and 2019, Ionov monitored and supported the political campaigns of St. Petersburg, Florida, UIC-3 and UIC-4. In 2019, before the primary election, Inov 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 Ianov 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 “we are supervising.”
According to the indictment, Ionov’s relationship with US Political Group 1 continued until at least March 2022. In particular, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, US Political Group 1 repeatedly hosted Inov via video conference to discussing the war, when Ionov falsely said that anyone who supported Ukraine also supported Nazism and white supremacy. In a report to the FSB, Ionov explained that he had enlisted the US Political Group 1 to support Russia in the “information war unleashed” by the West.
Alongside his malign foreign influence efforts with US Political Group 1, Inov also exercised direction and control over US Political Group 3, an organization based in California whose primary goal was to promote California secession from the United States. In January and February 2018, Ionov supported the efforts of the US Political Group 3 – led by the organization’s founder (UIC-6) – to organize a protest demonstration at the California Capitol building in Sacramento. Ionov partially financed the efforts and tried to direct UIC-6 to physically enter the governor’s office. Later, Ionov sent FSB Officer 1 various media reports covering the demonstration and the broader efforts of the US Political Group 3, writing that FSB Officer 1 had asked for “trouble” and stating, “you don’t. “
According to the indictment, Ionov also directed the efforts of the United States Political Group 2, based in Atlanta. For example, as recently as March 2022, Inov paid members of US 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 imposed content restrictions on posts that support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ionov sent UIC-5 designs for signs used in the protest and funded cross-country travel for UIC-5 and other members of US Political Group 2. After the protest, Inov sent UIC a photo of a Russian news site’s social media page -5 , which featured a news story in the Russian language about the protest.
Inov is accused of conspiring to have US 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 United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan, Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Division, and Trial Attorney Demetrius Sumner of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Division are prosecuting the case .
The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case.
An indictment is just an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
