An alleged Russian-owned businessman could be in possession of documents or information regarding the hacking that occurred in 2016 in America.
Vladislav Klyushin from Switzerland was extradited to America late last month.
Among his employees, and also named in the indictment, is Ivan Yermakov – who was among a dozen Russian military intelligence officers former special counsel Robert Mueller indicted in 2018 on charges related to 2016 election hacking.
Sources close to the Kremlin and Russia’s intelligence sources believe Klyushin has access to documents related to the 2016 hack of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton allies, Bloomberg News reported.
Vladislav Klyushin (also known as Vladislav Kliushin), 41 of Moscow, Russia was detained in Switzerland on March 21, 2021. He was then extradited to America on December 18, 2021.
According to the report the documents show that hacker was a GRU Russian military intelligence unit.
Although the U.S. continues to investigate the matter, they have not yet been able the bring any of these hackers into the U.S. People identified as being part of the hacking group ‘Fancy Bears’ were indicted for computer hacking and wire fraud. They also face identity theft.
Bloomberg reports that Klyushin had been approached by the U.S. intelligence agency and British spy agency in the years prior to he flew from Russia in a private jet for a trip in Switzerland with his family. Many people viewed the Kremlin’s extradition as a serious intelligence blow.
Klyushin might be able to use the documents that are central to hacking the elections to get leniency for the financial crimes he’s charged with.
Vladimir Putin of Russia awarded Klyushin the Russian honor medal in 2020
Klyushin is charged with hacking and securities theft.
Nikolai Rumiantcev (left) and Ivan Yermakov (right) were also charged in the scheme
Robert Mueller was a former Special Counsel. Mueller’s lawyers brought charges against members of Russia’s military intelligence for hacking Democratic organizations during 2016.
An Russian troop buildup near its border to Ukraine is the backdrop of this high-stakes court struggle
The intelligence drama in Ukraine is set against a background of tension. Russia has deployed thousands of soldiers to Ukraine and officials from the United States warn about an invasion.
The Russian President is believed to have ordered the hacking of election results. He has now defended Russia’s military actions and demanded security assurances from NATO and the U.S. on NATO’s expansion and Russia’s own military position on Russia’s western flank.
Indictment states that M-13, Klyushin’s business, was employed by the Russian government. According to the company, it offers media surveillance and cyber-security service. But according to the indictment, it hacked reports destined for the Security and Exchange Commission from such firms as Tesla, Roku, Snap and Steel Dynamics. Also charged in the scheme is Nikolai Rumiantcev.
Klyushin’s status as an insider is confirmed by the Russian medal honor, which Putin presented to him in June 2020. It was only 18 months prior that he had left Russia. In opposition to Klyushin’s request for bail, the prosecution included a photograph of the medal.
Prosecutors refused to release him on a $2.5million bond. They called him flight risk and pointed out his ownership and control of a 4 million dollar yacht.
Klyushin’s lawyer stated that he was accused of crimes against which he intends to fully defend himself. Maksim Nemtsev stated this at last month’s bail hearing. Klyushin said that in an application, he intends to defend the government’s position ‘in a legally-sound, professional and principled fashion.