MSNBC's Rachel Maddow digs for any Russia links in GOP operative Paul Erickson's fraud indictment
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.
Tupper briefly ran through Erickson's long history of allegedly defrauding investors. "He'd been doing this, as it said in the indictment, at least all the way back to 1996, allegedly, and as he went from one thing to another, eventually he met up with Maria Butina," he said. "And that was, I think, from what we know so far, he got involved in just sort of another scheme with her, allegedly. This time he bit off a little more than he could chew, perhaps." But Butina also reportedly agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in the Erickson wire fraud and money laundering investigation, he noted, "so there could be a connection there." Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
A history of Guantánamo Bay
The Explainer War of Terror's 'symbol of torture, rendition and indefinite detention' is subject of new Serial podcast series
By The Week UK Published
-
5 fun Easter activities from The Week Junior
The Week Junior Easter Activities Looking for some fun, simple Easter activities to do with the kids? Look no further – The Week Junior has you covered with these five fun and family-friendly activities.
By The Week UK Published
-
A Taste of Honey: 'wonderful' revival remains 'vital and relevant'
The Week Recommends The 'period-perfect' production features a 'universally excellent cast'
By The Week UK Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published