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Alexander Ionov was accused of conspiring to have U.S. citizens
act as illegal agents of the Russian government, the United
States said. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.
He was also sanctioned.
"These charges are complete nonsense," Ionov, 32, told Reuters
from Moscow. "When I read the charges against me, I felt that I
was reading some sort of artistic story."
"I did not pay any money to anyone," Ionov said. "The decision
to open a criminal case against me is a political decision."
Ionov denied that he had ever worked for - or on behalf of - the
Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the KGB
spy service, or that he coordinated his actions with the FSB.
The U.S. Justice Department said he had acted on behalf of the
FSB to financially support political groups in Florida, Georgia
and California, get them to publish pro-Russian propaganda and
further Russian interests.
Ionov said he had a lawyer in the United States but that given
the sanctions he was unable to pay U.S. lawyers so his right to
defence had been effectively removed by the United States.
The U.S. Treasury said that Anti-Globalization Movement of
Russia, which Ionov founded, had received funding from Russia’s
National Charity Fund.
Ionov said his movement received state money only twice, only
about $60,000 to $80,000 in total and around 8 years ago, and
used it to hold international conferences.
($1 = 60.1500 roubles)
(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
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