WASHINGTON — A Russian analyst who provided information for a dossier of research used during the Trump-Russia investigation has been charged with lying to the FBI when questioned about his work.
A grand jury indictment issued in federal court in Virginia charges Igor Danchenko with five counts of false statements.
The case was brought as part of special counsel John Durham's investigation into the origins of the FBI's probe into ties between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
Danchenko functioned as a source for Christopher Steele, a former British spy who Democrats paid to examine ties between Russia and Trump during the campaign.
NPR reports that the indictment alleges Danchenko lied to FBI investigators over the course of several interviews regarding the source of the information he provided to Steele.
The indictment alleges that Danchenko told investigators that he received an anonymous phone call from someone he believed to be the president of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce who alleged coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. The indictment alleges that such a phone call never took place.
The dossier was later used as evidence in obtaining court-approved surveillance on Trump campaign officials.
According to CNN, Durham has been looking into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation for two years. NPR reports that Danchenko is the third person to face charges.
