Flynn Discusses Lifting 2014 Russian Sanctions

Later on December 29th, 2016 Flynn discussed Trump’s lifting of Obama’s 2014 sanctions with Kislyak during six telephone calls (Sally Yates, acting Attorney General of the United States, was listening and Flynn has been indicted and convicted of having lied to FBI about the calls).

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Payment to Hackers

On December 13th 2016, the last report by Steele (p.35) alleges hackers who helped Trump win were paid by Cohen and by Russians. Cohen reportedly raised more than $750,000 in cash in Fall of 2016; $130,000 was used to pay Stormy Daniels; the disposition of the remaining $620,000 remains unknown.

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Meeting with Qatari Investment Authority

On December 12, 2016, Cohen and Flynn met with Ahmed Al-Rumaihi at Trump Tower. An online picture of meeting participants was provided by Michael Avenatti. Al-Rumaihi is CEO of Qatari Investment Authority. And while Qatar’s role in the Rosneft scheme is not clear, it could be as escrow agent for the 19% interest in Rosneft.

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Meeting with Russian Ambassador

On December 1, 2016, Jared Kushner (Trump’s son-in law and advisor) and Michael Flynn (Trump’s campaign national security advisor) met with Sergey Kislyak, Russian Ambassador to the United States, to discuss setting up secret back-channel between Trump and Putin using Russian embassy communications facilities; not U.S. facilities at White House, State Department or the CIA.

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Steele Dossier Delivered

October 15th, 2016, the Steele dossier was delivered to FBI. It describes the Rosneft deal. Steele had met with FBI twice before; once in London (on July 5th, 2016) and later in Rome (in early October 2016).

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Cohen’s Cleanup

On August 19th, 2016, Manafort is fired as Trump’s campaign manager. Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal lawyer (who paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels), takes over Page’s Russian activities with the added task of cleaning up mess created by Manafort’s activities in Ukraine. Steele’s Dossier says Cohen met with Russians in Europe; Cohen denies that he did.…

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Transfer of Interest in Rosneft

December 7th, 2016 Rosneft announced a transfer of 19.5% interest in the company. That transferee is a Limited Liability Company formed in Cayman Islands. The interest transferred was owned by the Russian government. The new beneficial owner of the 19.5% interest in Rosneft remains a secret today.

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Russian Accommodations

On July 18th, 2016, Trump allies at Republican National Convention amended Republican Platform in a way that accommodated Russia (by weakening provision that called for arming anti-Russian forces in Ukraine). Was this move a signal?

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Meeting with Russian Officials

On July 7 or 8, 2016, Carter Page, a specialist in oil and gas production in Russia and one of Trump’s foreign policy advisors, meets Igor Sechin in Moscow. Sechin, who was Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and is a close ally of Putin, is also the Executive Chairman of Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil and…

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