US Charges Former Trump 2016 Campaign Advisor Dimitri Simes Over Work For Sanctioned Russian TV

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has charged a Russian-born U.S. citizen and former adviser to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign with working for a sanctioned Russian state television network and laundering the proceeds.

Indictments announced Thursday by the Department of Justice allege that Dimitri Simes and his wife received over $1 million dollars and a personal car and driver in exchange for work they did for Russia’s Channel One since June 2022.

The state television network was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Simes is a U.S. citizen who owns a house in Virginia.

Authorities say they believe the couple is in Russia.

If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison.