Russian source for anti-Trump Steele dossier Igor Danchenko charged in the US
- The analyst has been indicted for allegedly lying to the FBI about his role in collecting information for ex-UK spy Christopher Steele
- The case is part of an ongoing investigation of the origins of an FBI probe into possible collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia
A Russian analyst who contributed to a dossier of Democratic-funded research into ties between Russia and Donald Trump was indicted Thursday on charges of lying to the FBI about his sources of information.
The case against Igor Danchenko is part of special counsel John Durham’s ongoing investigation into the origins of the FBI’s probe into whether Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia had conspired to tip the outcome of that year’s presidential campaign.
The five-count indictment accuses Danchenko, a US-based Russia analyst, of making multiple false statements to the FBI when interviewed in 2017 about his role in collecting information for Christopher Steele, the former British spy who was paid by Democrats to investigate connections between Trump and Russia.
Danchenko functioned as a source for Steele, whose dossier of research was provided to the FBI and used by federal authorities as they applied for and received surveillance warrants targeting a former Trump campaign aide.
The indictment says Danchenko misled the FBI by denying a relationship with a public relations executive and long-time Democratic operative and supporter of Trump’s 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton, when he had in fact anonymously sourced one of his allegations to that person.
