Elena Branson.Photo: Facebook
A duel citizen of Russia and the U.S. has been charged with illegally acting as an agent of a foreign government, conspiracy to commit visa fraud and making false statements to the FBI, the Department of Justice announced this week.
According to the complaint, 61-year-old Branson knowingly conspired “to commit an offense against the United States, to wit, acting as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General.”
Court records did not list an attorney who could comment on her behalf.
Prosecutors further allege that Branson “attempted to set up meetings for a Moscow government official with, among others, politicians and businesspersons in the United States” in the spring of 2016.
The criminal complaint states that former PresidentDonald Trump(who, at the time, was still a candidate) was among those with whom Branson allegedly attempted to meet.
From the complaint: “In or about March 2016, Branson exchanged a series of emails with [a Russian Minister.] During these messages, in part, Minister-2 asked Branson to organize a meeting with …. the now-former President of the United States, who was then a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, or his daughter, in New York.”
The complaint adds that there is “no indication that the now-former President or his children attended the referenced meeting.”
According to the Department of Justice, Branson has even claimed to have communicated directly with Russian PresidentVladimir Putin, emailing an unnamed individual in January 2012, to write, “Today I took a letter about our projects to Putin. Hope there is some answer on Thursday.”
The Russian Consulate did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The charges against Branson come amidRussia’s invasion of Ukraine— which has killed numerous civilians and led to increased tensions between the country and the West, including the U.S.
Russia’sattack on Ukrainebegan with a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24, the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
Putin has claimed he was only conducting a “special military operation” for so-called “peacekeeping” in the neighboring country and that his aim was to “de-Nazify” Ukraine — part of a broad messaging campaign that has been effective among some in Russia.
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Zelenskyy has vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
