Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
12 Russians Indicted For Hacking Democrats in 2016 Election
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 7 years ago on
July 13, 2018

Share

WASHINGTON — Twelve Russian intelligence officers were indicted on charges they hacked into Democratic email accounts during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and released stolen information in the months before Americans headed to the polls, the Justice Department said Friday.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein also said that Russian intelligence agents stole information on 500,000 U.S. voters after hacking a state U.S. election board.

“We have this stupidity going on. Pure stupidity.”President Donald Trump, describing special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation
The indictment — which comes days before President Donald Trump holds a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin — was the clearest allegation yet of Russian efforts to meddle in American politics. U.S. intelligence agencies have said the interference was aimed at helping the presidential campaign of Republican Donald Trump and harming the election bid of his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
The indictment lays out a sweeping and coordinated effort to break into key Democratic email accounts, including those belonging to the Democratic National Committee, the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The charges come as special counsel Robert Mueller investigates potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign to influence the presidential election. The indictment does not allege that Trump campaign associates were involved in the hacking efforts or that any American was knowingly in contact with Russian intelligence officers.

Trump Again Complains About Mueller Probe

Hours before the Justice Department announcement, Trump complained anew that the special counsel’s investigation is complicating his efforts to forge a better working relationship with Russia. Trump and Putin are scheduled to hold talks Monday in Finland, a meeting largely sought by Trump.
Trump said at a news conference Friday near London with British Prime Minister Theresa May that he wasn’t going into the meeting with Putin with “high expectations.”
“We do have a — a political problem where — you know in the United States we have this stupidity going on. Pure stupidity,” he said, referring to Mueller’s probe. “But it makes it very hard to do something with Russia. Anything you do, it’s always going to be, ‘Oh, Russia, he loves Russia.'”
“I love the United States,” Trump continued. “But I love getting along with Russia and China and other countries.”

No Allegations That Votes Were Changed

The indictment also does not allege that any vote tallies were altered by hacking.
Still, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said the internet “allows foreign adversaries to attack Americans in new and unexpected ways. Free and fair elections are hard-fought and contentious and there will always be adversaries who work to exacerbate domestic differences and try to confuse, divide and conquer us.”
Before Friday, 20 people and three companies had been charged in the Mueller investigation. That includes four former Trump campaign and White House aides, three of whom have pleaded guilty to different crimes and agreed to cooperate, as well as 13 Russians accused of participating in a hidden but powerful social media campaign to sway American public opinion in the 2016 election.

How Russia Interfered

U.S. intelligence agencies have said the meddling was aimed at helping the Trump campaign and harming the election bid of Clinton. The effort also included bogus Facebook ads and social media postings that prosecutors say were aimed at influencing public opinion and sowing discord on hot-button social issues.
The indictment lays out a broad, coordinated effort starting in March 2016 to break into key Democratic email accounts, such as those belonging to the Democratic National Committee, the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Among those targeted was John Podesta, the Clinton campaign chairman.
The Kremlin denied anew that it tried to sway the election. “The Russian state has never interfered and has no intention of interfering in the U.S. elections,” Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Friday.
But the indictment identifies the defendants as officers with Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, also known as GRU. It accuses them of covertly monitoring the computers of dozens of Democratic officials and volunteers, implanting malicious computer code known as malware and using phishing emails to gain control of the accounts of people associated with the Clinton campaign.

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Arrested in Armed Robbery After Search Warrant Executed

DON'T MISS

Diehard Baseball Fans in Sacramento Welcome Athletics and Hope They Stay Awhile

DON'T MISS

Carbon Monoxide Was Cause of Death of Brett Gardner’s Teen Son, Officials Confirm

DON'T MISS

Bettors Back Duke Men and UConn Women for National Championships

DON'T MISS

Flores Homers, Matos and Wade Also Go Deep to Help Giants Cap Sweep of Astros

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Authorities Need Help Finding Family of Alejandro Solis

DON'T MISS

Lilly Is a Young Terrier Who Loves Dogs, Cats, and People

DON'T MISS

After Briefly Disappearing, TikTok Went Back to Normal. Or Did It?

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Head-On Crash Sends Two to the Hospital

DON'T MISS

Israeli Strikes on Gaza Overnight Leaves More Than 50 Palestinians Dead

UP NEXT

Israeli Strikes on Gaza Overnight Leaves More Than 50 Palestinians Dead

UP NEXT

Hungary to Exit ICC as Netanyahu Visits Amid Arrest Warrant Dispute

UP NEXT

Rubio Visits NATO Amid European Alarm Over Trump’s Agenda

UP NEXT

Trump Proposes Tax Deduction for Auto Loan Interest on US-Made Cars

UP NEXT

Western US Sees Sharp Increase in Extreme Weather Impact

UP NEXT

7-Year-Old Girl Was Killed by a Falling Boulder at a Lake Tahoe Ski Resort

UP NEXT

Israel’s Operations in Gaza Expands to Seize ‘Large Areas.’ Palestinians Say Dozens Killed

UP NEXT

Elon Musk Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes’ Billionaires List

UP NEXT

A Palestinian From the West Bank Is First Detainee Under 18 to Die in Israeli Prison, Officials Say

UP NEXT

UN Agency Closes Its Remaining Gaza Bakeries as Food Supplies Dwindle Under Israeli Blockade

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Bettors Back Duke Men and UConn Women for National Championships

1 hour ago

Flores Homers, Matos and Wade Also Go Deep to Help Giants Cap Sweep of Astros

1 hour ago

Fresno County Authorities Need Help Finding Family of Alejandro Solis

1 hour ago

Lilly Is a Young Terrier Who Loves Dogs, Cats, and People

1 hour ago

After Briefly Disappearing, TikTok Went Back to Normal. Or Did It?

2 hours ago

Fresno County Head-On Crash Sends Two to the Hospital

2 hours ago

Israeli Strikes on Gaza Overnight Leaves More Than 50 Palestinians Dead

2 hours ago

Clovis Police Seek Three Suspects in Credit Card Fraud Case

2 hours ago

Ohtani’s Walk-off Homer Boosts Dodgers to 8-0 With Another Comeback Win

2 hours ago

Colorado Man Charged with Pointing Laser at Fresno Sheriff Helicopter

2 hours ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Armed Robbery After Search Warrant Executed

Property crimes detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a 38-year-old Fresno man in connection with an armed robber...

3 minutes ago

Johnny Hernandez, 38, was arrested in connection with an armed robbery at Adina Valley Market on April 1 and faces multiple felony charges, including robbery and assault with a firearm. (Fresno County SO)
3 minutes ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Armed Robbery After Search Warrant Executed

1 hour ago

Diehard Baseball Fans in Sacramento Welcome Athletics and Hope They Stay Awhile

1 hour ago

Carbon Monoxide Was Cause of Death of Brett Gardner’s Teen Son, Officials Confirm

1 hour ago

Bettors Back Duke Men and UConn Women for National Championships

1 hour ago

Flores Homers, Matos and Wade Also Go Deep to Help Giants Cap Sweep of Astros

The Fresno County Sheriff – Coroner’s Office is seeking public assistance in locating the family of Alejandro Solis, 67, who passed away on March 26, 2025, in order to release his body for a proper burial. Note: Photo shown is not current. (Fresno County SO)
1 hour ago

Fresno County Authorities Need Help Finding Family of Alejandro Solis

Lilly the Terrier
1 hour ago

Lilly Is a Young Terrier Who Loves Dogs, Cats, and People

2 hours ago

After Briefly Disappearing, TikTok Went Back to Normal. Or Did It?

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend