MSNBC's Rachel Maddow digs for any Russia links in GOP operative Paul Erickson's fraud indictment

Rachel Maddow explores Paul Erickson indictment
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/MSNBC)

Federal prosecutors in South Dakota released an indictment Wednesday night charging Paul Erickson, a longtime Republican operative best known as the boyfriend of Russian agent Maria Butina, with 11 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. "This indictment against him tonight describes alleged crimes that, on the surface, don't appear to be Russia-related — they're basically just accusing him of being a crook," Rachel Maddow explained on MSNBC Wednesday night, "although there are some intriguing clues here."

Maddow read from the indictment. "Now, what does this have to do with Paul Erickson's purported Russian secret agent girlfriend, now that she's plead guilty and is cooperating with prosecutors? We don't know," she said, but there are several payments from Erickson's allegedly fraudulent funds that appear to be to Butina or on her behalf, including a $14,000 disbursement around the time Butina and Erickson helped arrange an NRA trip to Moscow. Maddow turned to Seth Tupper, an enterprise reporter for South Dakota's Rapid City Journal who has written about Erickson's business dealings, for some clarity.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.