Maria Butina was likely in contact with Russian Intelligence Services [FSB] throughout her stay in the US. FBI surveillance observed her in the company of a diplomat suspected of being a Russian intelligence officer for several weeks in Mar 2018.
#Maddow assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4609…
Prosecutors: Russian agent Maria Butina tried to trade sex for influence, "offering an individual other than US Person 1 [@GOP operative Paul Erickson] sex in exchange for a position within a special interest organization." #HONEYPOT
by @Tom_Winter #Maddow nbcnews.to/2Lqlu9f
In addition to her ties to the Russian govt & intelligence services, Maria Butina's financier is a Russian oligarch [other than Torshin] with deep ties to Putin, whom Butina refers to as her "funder" – so Butina is linked to @GOP, Trump campaign AND Putin.
@DavidCornDC #Maddow
NOV 2016 Steele memo [not in the 'dossier']: A senior Russian official discusses how the Kremlin intervened to block Trump's choice of Romney for Sec of State.
NOV 11, 2016: BUTINA sent Torshin a DM in which she predicted who would be named SoS.
#Maddow
Putin-linked Russian billionaire Konstantin Nikolaev funded Maria Butina. Nikolaev, who has ties to a Houston company praised by Trump, was at Trump's DC hotel during inauguration. His son volunteered for Trump's campaign.
by @CarolLeonnig @PostRoz #Maddow
wapo.st/2A2GP3W?tid=ss…
Russian billionaire Konstantin Nikolaev [who bankrolled Maria Butina] is a major investor & board member [along with former Putin CoS, Voloshin] of Houston firm American Ethane, which Trump helped to seal a $26B export deal with China.
cc @lukeharding1968
"Trump applauded vigorously as American Ethane CEO John Houghtaling signed a 'historic' memorandum of understanding with his Chinese partner." A chief beneficiary of the deal: Maria Butina's financier, Konstantin Nikolaev.
@lukeharding1968 @PostRoz #Maddow
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.