The Russia connectionCase of Dutch lawyer ties Rick Gates to Russian intelligence

The government’s sentencing memorandum filed in the case of Dutch attorney Alex van der Zwaan, who pleaded guilty in February of lying to the FBI, shows Trump deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates knowingly communicated with someone tied to the Russian intelligence service (GRU) in the fall of 2016.

Fourth, the lies and withholding of documents were material to the Special Counsel’s Office’s investigation. That Gates and Person A were directly communicating in September and October 2016 was pertinent to the investigation. Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agents assisting the Special Counsel’s Office assess that Person A has ties to Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016. During his first interview with Special Counsel’s Office, van der Zwann admitted that he knew of that connection, stating that Gates told him Person A was a former Russian Intelligence Officer with GRU.

The Committee to investigate Russia notes that court documents do not identify Person A, but those familiar with Paul Manafort’s and Gates’ associates suspect he is Konstantin Kilimnik. 

CNN:

That Gates and the unnamed person, who had lived in Kiev and Moscow and worked for one of Paul Manafort’s companies, were in touch in September and October 2016 was “pertinent to the investigation,” a court filing from prosecutors said Tuesday night.

Van der Zwaan faces sentencing on April 3rd, making him the first in the Mueller investigation.