In 2016, a U.S. congressional candidate contacted a hacker known as Guccifer 2.0 to request stolen documents, special counsel Robert Mueller alleges in an indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officials.
[READ HERE: Mueller’s indictment against 12 Russians for hacking Democrats in 2016]
The indictment does not name the candidate or whether the person currently serves in Congress, but it says that the hacker, who has been revealed as a Russian intelligence officer, sent the candidate documents related to their opponent.
“On or about August 15, 2016, the Conspirators, posing as Guccifer 2.0, received a request for stolen documents from a candidate for the U.S. Congress. The Conspirators responded using the Guccifer 2.0 persona and sent the candidate stolen documents related to the candidate’s opponent,” the indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, reads.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced the charges Friday in a news conference. It accuses the Russians of breaking into computers owned by Hillary Clinton’s campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The Russians then released hacked emails under the names DCLeaks and Guccifer 2.0 in an attempt to interfere in the 2016 election, the indictment says.
The deputy attorney general said there is no allegation in Friday’s indictment that any American was a knowing participant in Russia’s efforts or knew they were communicating with foreign intelligence officers.
