US Charges American commentator who works for Russian state TV
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department indicted an American commentator for Russian television Thursday as part of a broader effort by the government to crack down on Russia’s attempts to influence U.S. politics before November’s presidential election.
Dimitri Simes, who was an adviser to Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, and his wife, Anastasia Simes, were charged with violating economic sanctions against Russia for their work for Channel One, a state-owned television network.
The indictments come as the United States has been cracking down on Russian efforts to spread content from Russian broadcasters among American audiences, often by disguising its origins. Dimitri Simes, who owns a home with his wife in Virginia but currently lives in Russia, has hosted a political talk show since 2022 on the network four nights a week and another on Sundays.
His indictment comes a day after two employees of another Russian state broadcaster, RT, were indicted on a charge of spending nearly $10 million to have pro-Russia messages spread from a Tennessee company that created and publicized commentary from right-wing, pro-Trump influencers.
The Biden administration has been making a broad push against what it says is a concerted effort by Russia to influence the fall vote.
Documents released by the Justice Department show that as part of the effort, Putin’s office devised a plan to target swing state voters in favor of Trump and against further support for Ukraine.
The Justice Department charged both Simeses with violating the International Emergency Powers Act, the law that President Joe Biden has used to impose an array of punitive sanctions against Russian officials and companies because of the war in Ukraine. Channel One, a state company that is among those under such sanctions, paid the couple more than $1 million, in addition to providing a car and driver and a stipend for an apartment in Moscow.
Anastasia Simes, a jewelry designer, was also charged with money laundering and accused of helping a prominent Russian businessperson, Alexander Udodov, evade sanctions by purchasing art and antiques for him and keeping them in their home near Huntly, Virginia.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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