Former spy who compiled Trump dossier goes into hiding

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published 12 January 2017

The former spy who compiled an unverified dossier on President-elect Donald Trump's alleged collusion with Russia hastily went into hiding just before The Wall Street Journal revealed his identity Wednesday, The New York Times reports. Christopher Steele, 52, a former British MI6 officer, wrote the set of memos last year when he was hired to dig up dirt on Trump's past during the presidential campaign.

A friend of Steele's told The Telegraph that Steele was "terrified for his family and his family's safety" after learning his identify was to be revealed. "According to neighbors and news reports, Mr. Steele hurriedly left his home in Surrey, a county southwest of London, on Wednesday to avoid attention or possible retribution once his identity as the author of the dossier was revealed," The New York Times reports.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.