FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING INDICTMENT AGAINST PARAMOUR OF MARIA BUTINA

Pail Erickson & Maria Butina

The Republican political operative, Paul Erickson, known to most of us as the live-in boyfriend of the convicted Russian agent, Maria Butina, who attempted to penetrate Republican circles, as well as the NRA, has himself been indicted in US District Court in South Dakota, and charged with eleven counts of wire fraud and money laundering. He was engaged, over a period of several years, in fraudulently inducing investors to contribute to a number of phantom projects he was promoting n South Dakota, and elsewhere.

It appears from the Indictment that Ms. Butina received some of the funds that Erickson received from his fraudulent actions. Described as a Republican activist, Erickson reportedly assisted Butina, who was working on behalf of a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin, who was seeking to influence senior Republican and NRA officials.The Indictment, which is labeled "Redacted," meaning that certain information has been withheld from public release, is limited to the fraud and money laundering counts, but Erickson, not identified by name, is listed in filings in the Butina case where she is chaged with being an unregistered agent of a foreign power.

Readers who wish to review the complete text of the Indictment can access it here.