U.S. charges five in alleged Kremlin-directed murder-for-hire plot
The Justice Department unsealed an indictment accusing a Russian intelligence-run network of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot against a Russian dissident in Washington, D.C., and of recruiting Americans and foreigners to spy, carry out killings, and attack infrastructure across Europe aligned with Ukraine. Five people were charged and remain at large; prosecutors allege payments ranging from about $200 for photos to offers of $25,000–$40,000 to kill targets, and that the FBI disrupted the operation. The indictment and FBI action raise security and diplomatic concerns and may lead to further arrests and international investigations.
The DOJ alleges a Kremlin-linked network plotted killings on U.S. soil.
Context
Investigators say the network operated since at least 2024 and paid people to spy and kill. The DOJ unsealed charges and the FBI said it disrupted the plot. Next steps could include arrests and more legal action.
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