Here's a quick refresher on Roger Stone, the Trump Campaign, Wikileaks, and Russian Military Intelligence GRU;
In the summer of 2016 candidate Trump was directing his advisers to find out about Wikileaks releasing illegally hacked damaging information on the Clinton campaign. At a time when then candidate Trump had been warned by the FBI that Russians and other foreign adversaries would try to interfere with the election. The Trump campaign was asked to alert the FBI of any suspicious overtures made to their campaign.[1] Despite the intelligence briefing then candidate Trump continued to deny any wrong-doing by the Russians during the 2016 presidential election.[2]
According to Special Counsel Mueller Roger Stone was directed by the Trump Campaign to find out about potential future releases;^[3]
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ROGER JASON STONE, JR.
4. ROGER JASON STONE, JR. was a political consultant who worked for decades in U.S. politics and on U.S. political campaigns. STONE was an official on the U.S. presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump (“Trump Campaign”) until in or around August 2015, and maintained regular contact with and publicly supported the Trump Campaign through the 2016 election. 5.
5. During the summer of 2016, STONE spoke to senior Trump Campaign officials about Organization 1 and information it might have had that would be damaging to the Clinton Campaign. STONE was contacted by senior Trump Campaign officials to inquire about future releases by Organization 1.
11. By in or around June and July 2016, STONE informed senior Trump Campaign officials that he had information indicating Organization 1 had documents whose release would be damaging to the Clinton Campaign. The head of Organization 1 was located at all relevant times at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, United Kingdom.
12. After the July 22, 2016 release of stolen DNC emails by Organization 1, a senior Trump Campaign official was directed to contact STONE about any additional releases and what other damaging information Organization 1 had regarding the Clinton Campaign. STONE thereafter told the Trump Campaign about potential future releases of damaging material by Organization 1.
17. On or about October 7, 2016, Organization 1 released the first set of emails stolen from the Clinton Campaign chairman. Shortly after Organization 1’s release, an associate of the high-ranking Trump Campaign official sent a text message to STONE that read “well done.” In subsequent conversations with senior Trump Campaign officials, STONE claimed credit for having correctly predicted the October 7, 2016 release.
Furthermore, over the course of the Special Counsel's investigation into Russian election hacking the government obtained and executed dozens of search warrants. Several of those search warrants were executed on accounts that contained Stone’s direct communications with Wikileaks and Guccifer 2.0 (Russian intelligence officers);[4]
Certain Netyksho defendants, through a fictitious online persona they created, Guccifer 2.0, also interacted directly with Stone concerning other stolen materials posted separately online.
...As alleged in the Netyksho indictment, in 2016, the Netyksho defendants stole documents from the DNC, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and the Clinton campaign chairman. Those defendants then released many of the stolen documents, including through a website maintained by Organization 1. In the course of investigating that activity, the government obtained and executed dozens of search warrants on various accounts used to facilitate the transfer of stolen documents for release, as well as to discuss the timing and promotion of their release. Several of those search warrants were executed on accounts that contained Stone’s communications with Guccifer 2.0 and with Organization 1. Evidence obtained from those search warrants resulted in the allegations that the Netyksho defendants hacked and stole documents for release through intermediaries, including Organization 1, and that Stone lied to a congressional committee investigating, among other things, the activities of Organization 1 regarding those stolen documents. The relevant search warrants, which are being produced to the defendant in discovery in this case, are discussed further in a sealed addendum to this filing.
Moreover, former Trump Campaign adviser Roger Stone was charged on 7 counts including 5 counts for providing false statements meant to mislead Congressional investigators about his communications with Wikileaks;[5]
COUNTS TWO THROUGH SIX (False Statements)
43. On or about September 26, 2017, within the District of Columbia and elsewhere, in a matter within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch of the Government of the United States, the defendant ROGER JASON STONE, JR., knowingly and willfully made and caused to be made materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements and representations, to wit:
STONE testified falsely that he did not have emails with third parties about the head of Organization 1, and that he did not have any documents, emails, or text messages that refer to the head of Organization 1.
STONE testified falsely that his August 2016 references to being in contact with the head of Organization 1 were references to communications with a single “go-between,” “mutual friend,” and “intermediary,” who STONE identified as Person 2.
STONE testified falsely that he did not ask the person he referred to as his “go-between,” “mutual friend,” and “intermediary,” to communicate anything to the head of Organization 1 and did not ask the intermediary to do anything on STONE’s behalf.
STONE testified falsely that he and the person he referred to as his “go-between,” “mutual friend,” and “intermediary” did not communicate via text message or email about Organization 1.
STONE testified falsely that he had never discussed his conversations with the person he referred to as his “go-between,” “mutual friend,” and “intermediary” with anyone involved in the Trump Campaign.
All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1001(a)(2) and 2.
NBC - FBI warned Trump in 2016 Russians would try to infiltrate his campaign
NBC - Trump Says He Doubts U.S. Intel Officials On Russian Hacking
U.S. Department of Justice - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ROGER JASON STONE, JR.
U.S. Department of Justice - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ROGER STONE, JR., GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO DEFENDANT’S OBJECTION TO NOTICE OF DESIGNATION OF PENDING RELATED CRIMINAL CASE
U.S. Department of Justice - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ROGER JASON STONE, JR.