Posted on 02/16/2018 6:40:48 PM PST by blam
Special counsel Robert Mueller's office announced on Friday that California resident Richard Pinedo pleaded guilty to one count of identity fraud on February 12, according to court documents.
The plea deal's release came immediately after Mueller's office announced charges against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities accused of interfering in the 2016 US election by mounting an elaborate and multi-faceted social media influence operation meant to sow political discord during and after the race.
According to the statement of offense, Pinedo ran a company called "Auction Essistance," which offered services meant to get around the security requirements set by online payment companies like eBay, PayPal, and Amazon. Auction Essistance was shut down in December. The company's website says it is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance.
To help customers circumvent the security protocols set up by online payment websites, Pinedo created bank accounts on the internet using fraudulent identities and then sold those account numbers to Auction Essistance customers, the statement of offense said. It added that although Pinedo was not directly involved in registering the accounts while using fake identities, "he willfully and intentionally avoided learning about the use of stolen identities."
He did, however, help users get around the security protocols set up by PayPal, which is referred to in the plea deal as Company 1.
PayPal was also named in the indictment Mueller's office released earlier on Friday. The indictment says the Russians used PayPal to purchase ads on Facebook which were aimed at stoking political tensions before and after the election.
PayPal verifies users' bank account information by making trial deposits into the accounts associated with a user and then asking them to relay the amount of the deposits.
According to the statement of offense against Pinedo, the 28-year-old unwittingly aided the Russians
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
” The indictment says the Russians used PayPal to purchase ads on Facebook which were aimed at stoking political tensions before and after the election. “
How much money did they spend on this? I have heard before that “the Russians” bought $100,000 worth of ads. Hillary spent approximately $1 billion. These “Russians” should be sought after by the corporate world for effective use of ad dollars.
So, someone used a fake identity to buy facebook ads? Has nothing to do with speech or voting at all.
How many billions$ already spent on investigating to indict 13 supposedly “russian” internet trolls!!! LOL LOL LOL
This is a joke!
13, 13, thirteen!!!! whole internet Trolls control the USA elections! LOL
These indictments are a joke!They have nothing on Trump.
But no indictments against the DOJ,FBI, CIA etc for trying to frame Trump, spy on Trump etc.
It is a joke. You’d think they’d be embarrassed.
Sounds like Adam Schiff is leaking once again
What a crackerjack team!
We haven’t seen the likes of this since they collared the nfl jersey counterfeiters.
In what world does that NOT translate into exoneration for Trump?
Is Mueller's position that the Republican campaign colluded to disrupt its own transition?
It's more likely Hillary had a hand in that.
Did anyone in the 0bama campaign knowingly collude with foreign agents in his running for office in 2008?
https://www.thepostemail.com/2012/10/08/secret-service-must-investigate-obama-credit-card-fraud/
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2012/04/04/obama-campaign-credit-card-verification/
Oh look. The ridiculous mouse shall have siblings.
One lefty talk show actually believes that Mueller will use threat of trial against the 13 Russians to turn on Trump. Question: Where will these trials be held St. Petersburg or Moscow? Idiots.
I’ve got about $300 bucks in my PayPal account.
Should I pull it out before Mueller goes full retard on them too?
Two words, ‘inflation gate’
It is a stretch to equate the purchase of advertising with trying to “influence” a U.S. election. Usually influence refers to more direct means of trying to steer an outcome in your favor. Such as bribery. Such as blackmail. Such as strong arm tactics to intimidate voters. Such as persuading people to drop out. You can’t have charges of influence without showing how it corrupted a person.
It does not mean purchasing advertising that a person only hopes will get a result. How would you prove that? How would the law decide just who had been influenced?
If it did mean that then people could be charged under the R.I.C.O for placing ads in certain circumstances. But I don’t believe that has ever happened. Does anyone else?
So did Holden McGroyn, Al Kaholik, and Phil McCracken
were any of the 13 indicted part of the group of Russians that zero sent packing just before he left office?
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