Ex-Trump Adviser Accused of Violating US Sanctions

Former Trump campaign adviser Dimitri Simes faces serious legal troubles as the Justice Department levels charges of sanctions violations and money laundering.

At a Glance

Dimitri Simes and his wife are charged with violating US sanctions and money laundering.
Simes allegedly received over $1 million from sanctioned Russian state TV.
The couple faces up to 20 years in prison per count if convicted.
Simes was previously mentioned in the Mueller report but not charged.

Former Trump Adviser Indicted

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted Dimitri Simes, a Russian-born U.S. citizen and former adviser to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, on charges of working for a sanctioned Russian state television network and laundering the proceeds.

Simes, 76, a prominent Russian political commentator and former president of The Center for the National Interest think tank, allegedly received over $1 million in compensation, a personal car and driver, and a stipend for a flat in Moscow from Russia’s state-owned Channel One. The network was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Charges and Potential Consequences

The indictment alleges that Simes and his wife, Anastasia, participated in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions for the benefit of Channel One Russia and to launder funds obtained from that scheme. If convicted, the couple faces up to 20 years in prison for each count.

“These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russia’s illegal aggression in Ukraine,” the US attorney Matthew Graves said in a statement. “Such violations harm our national security interests – a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a US citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.”

Dimitri Simes, a Russian-born U.S. citizen and former adviser to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, has been accused of working for a sanctioned Russian state television network and laundering the proceeds.

Authorities believe he is in Russia.https://t.co/tqAbWyc3sN

— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) September 6, 2024

Previous Involvement and Mueller Investigation

Simes was previously involved in Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 U.S. elections but was not charged. He had interactions with Trump’s associates, including Jared Kushner, and provided talking points and information about Bill Clinton. Simes’s think tank also arranged a foreign policy speech for Trump at the Mayflower Hotel, which was attended by Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak.

“I did not see anything in the Mueller report that in any way that would indicate any questionable activity on my part or on the center’s part,” Simes said following the release of the Mueller report.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Simes defended his work on Russian TV, stating, “I assumed that what I was saying on Russian TV would not be to the liking of the Biden administration, but I also assumed that as long as it was just my opinion and was presented as such, it was not something for which I could be prosecuted.”

Current Status and Family Response

The couple is believed to be in Russia after leaving the U.S. following the Ukraine invasion in 2022. They maintain a home in Huntly, Virginia. Their son, Dimitri Simes Jr., has criticized the Biden administration on social media, claiming the charges are politically motivated.

“Joe Biden and his stooges are impotent cowards,” wrote Dimitri Simes Jr, their son, on X. “Our family is safe and sound in Russia. We will not be intimidated. In fact, we’re only going to get louder. Stay tuned!”