Four US Activists Convicted of Conspiring to Act as Russian Agents
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Activists Omali Yeshitela, 82; Penny Joanne Hess, 78; Jesse Nevel, 34; and Augustus C. Romain Jr., (also known as Gazi Kodzo) 38, were found guilty of conspiring to act as unregistered agents of the Russian government.
The Details: The U.S. citizens engaged in a seven-year conspiracy to disrupt American politics. Between 2015-2022, they collaborated with Aleksandr Ionov, who worked at the direction of Russian intelligence. The group was found not guilty of acting as foreign agents, but each face up to five years in prison for conspiring to act as foreign agents.
For Context: Yeshitela, Hess, and Nevel are associated with the Uhuru Movement, which is the activist arm of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP). Romain was an APSP member, but then founded Black Hammer, a black separatist organization in Atlanta. In 2015, the group petitioned the United Nations, accusing the U.S. of genocide against African Americans. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it organized protests against the suppression of pro-Russian content online.
Domestic Support: Previously, Democracy Now (Left bias), Glenn Greenwald (Center bias), and Tucker Carlson (Right bias) have interviewed Yeshitela and advocated for the group. On September 3, the Democratic Party criticized Independent presidential candidate Jill Stein for expressing support for the group.
Key Quote: Yeshitela said, “The most important thing is they were unable to convict us of working for anybody except black people."
How the Media Covered It: The New York Times (Lean Left bias) only quoted Yeshitela. The Epoch Times (Lean Right) dedicated much of its article to the defense's free speech arguments.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Center
US citizens found guilty of operating as Russian agents
The U.S. Department of Justice has convicted four individuals, including a leader from the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP), for conspiring as unregistered Russian agents. From 2015 to 2022, these U.S. citizens collaborated with Moscow-based operative Aleksandr Ionov in activities aimed at destabilizing U.S. politics.
Directed by Ionov, Omali Yeshitela, 82, Penny Hess, 78, Jesse Nevel, 34, all from St. Louis, and Augustus C. Romain Jr., 38, from Atlanta, drafted a U.N. petition in 2015 accusing the U.S. of genocide against African Americans. Despite initial resistance, this petition was completed and circulated within Russian media.
From the Left
Activists Convicted of Conspiring to Act as Russian Agents
An unusual federal trial detailing the inner workings of a Russian influence operation in the United States ended on Thursday with jurors convicting four members of Black power groups of conspiring to act as agents of the Russian government. The defendants were acquitted of failing to register as Russian agents, a more serious charge.
Prosecutors had argued during the weeklong trial in Tampa that the defendants had engaged in a seven-year conspiracy to sow division in American politics. The defendants countered that the government was trying to criminalize their support of Russian...
From the Right
Four Americans Convicted in Russian Influence Case
A jury found the defendants guilty of conspiring to act as unregistered agents of Russia, but not guilty of acting as agents of a foreign government. Omali Yeshitela, founder of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP), speaking in Dallas, Texas, on July 8, 2016. Yeshitela was among four black power activists convicted of conspiracy to act as unregistered agents of Russia. Omali Yeshitela, founder of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP), speaking in Dallas, Texas, on July 8, 2016. Yeshitela was among four black power activists convicted of conspiracy to...
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