Official Department of Justice announcements or court records

FBI Raids Homes of Dmitri Simes and Scott Ritter Over Russian Media Ties

Aug 21, 2024, 10:12 PM

The FBI has conducted searches at the homes of two Americans with ties to Russian state media, including Dmitri Simes, a former advisor to Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, and Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector. These actions are part of a broader investigation by the Department of Justice into Americans who have worked with Russian state television networks. The investigation, which included a search of Simes' Virginia home on August 13, is aimed at countering Kremlin influence operations ahead of the upcoming presidential election in November. Simes, who has been living and hosting a show on Kremlin TV since October 2022, is notably involved in the investigation, as his name appeared more than 100 times in the 2019 Mueller report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The Department of Justice's aggressive efforts signal a heightened focus on combating foreign influence in U.S. elections.