U.S. Citizens Convicted of Conspiracy in Russian Influence Case

A federal jury found four members of a St. Petersburg-based activist group guilty of conspiring to act as unregistered agents of Russia.

Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess, Jesse Nevel, and Augustus C. Romain Jr. were convicted of conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government.
The defendants were not found guilty of the more serious charge of acting as agents of the Russian government.
The case involved activities from 2015 to 2022, including efforts to influence local elections and promote Russian propaganda in the U.S.
Evidence showed the group worked under the direction of Aleksandr Ionov, who was linked to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).
The defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison, with no sentencing date set yet.