FBI searched homes of two Americans with ties to Russian state media

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI earlier this month searched the homes of two Americans with ties to Russian state media, including a former United Nations weapons inspector and an adviser to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's 2016 campaign.

The moves follow recent U.S. warnings that the Russian government is attempting to influence the November U.S. presidential election.

One home in Delmar, New York, was linked to Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector and critic of U.S. foreign policy, while another in Virginia was tied to Dimitri K. Simes, an adviser to Trump's first presidential campaign in 2016.

Both men separately confirmed the searches in media statements and could not immediately be reached for further comments.

The FBI said on Wednesday it carried out "court authorized law enforcement activity at certain locations" when asked about media reports on the searches.

U.S. intelligence has said that Russia remains the "predominant threat" to U.S. elections and that Moscow is using a complex arsenal of tools to back one of the candidates and sow divisions. Russia dismisses the accusations.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the U.S. Justice Department began a broader criminal investigation into Americans who have worked with Russia's state television networks. It cited U.S. officials briefed on the inquiry. The FBI had no further comment on that story.

More searches are expected soon and criminal charges are possible, the Times reported, citing the unnamed officials. Prosecutors have not announced charges against Simes and Ritter.

Simes, who hosts a weekly talk show on Russian state television broadcaster Channel One, told another state-owned media outlet, Sputnik, that he felt the FBI search was "an attempt to frighten me, to discredit me, and to do damage to my ability to live in the United States or even visit the United States, and to do damage to my finances."

Ritter, who was convicted in 2011 by a jury in an online underage sex sting, said the FBI search on his home was related to concerns the U.S. government has about alleged violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The law requires Americans to disclose political activities on behalf of foreign governments.

He denies the violations and said he felt the search was retribution for his criticism of U.S. foreign policy, including with respect to Ukraine. He said he cooperated with the search.

Ritter wrote in state media outlet Russia Today this week that he been "an external contributor (i.e., contactor) to RT since April 2020."

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Don Durfee and Michael Perry)