The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an investigation into U.S. citizens collaborating with Russian state news agencies, the New York Times (NYT) reported on August 21, citing officials briefed on the investigation.

The aim of the investigation is to curb the Kremlin’s interference in the presidential elections in November, according to the New York Times.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this month raided the homes of two prominent commentators: Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector, and Dimitri Simes, an adviser to former President Donald TrumpThe public prosecutor has not filed charges against either party.

Officials told the New York Times that more FBI raids were expected and that charges were possible.

US intelligence agencies warned on July 9 that Russia was planning an attack on Information campaigns against US voters during the Presidential elections.

Russia has been accused of using social media disinformation, bot farms and other means to propagate Donald Trump against his Democratic opponents – Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden – during the 2016 And 2020 Choose.

Trump is running for president for the third time and will face Vice President Kamala Harris in November. US intelligence officials said they had “observed no change in Russia’s preferences for the presidential election compared to previous elections.”

Ritter, whose home was searched by the FBI but who was not arrested, is a contributing writer for the Russian state news channel RTIn January he also traveled to Russia and the Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.

The Justice Department in 2017 required RT to register as a foreign agent rather than a news organization because the Russian government has control over the agency. Ritter claimed the search warrant for his home was based on the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

Ritter is a vocal advocate of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Simes, a U.S. citizen who immigrated from the Soviet Union in 1973, advised former U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Trump and worked to improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Since October 2022, Simes has lived in Russia, where he hosts a weekly talk show on state television. He is reportedly under investigation for possible violations of the U.S. Sanctions against Russia.

US announces action against Russian-linked bot farms aimed at spreading disinformation

According to the Justice Ministry, the bot farm was organized by a Russian citizen who worked as deputy editor-in-chief of RT in 2022 and was developed with funds from the Kremlin and in cooperation with an officer of the Russian domestic intelligence service (FSB).