Federals are investigating whether a Pennsylvania woman who was seen in a video participating in the U.S. Capitol riots stole a laptop or hard drive from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and planned sell it to the Russians, officials said.
The FBI is suing Riley June Williams for charges such as access to a restricted building, disturbing government orderly conduct, and engaging in disorderly or disturbing conduct.
There is no evidence that a laptop has been razed from the speaker’s office and the agency said in an affidavit that “the matter is still being investigated.”
“It looks like WILLIAMS has fled,” according to the affidavit. “According to local police officers in Harrisburg, WILLIAMS’ mother stated that WILLIAMS made a bag and left the house and told her mother that she would be leaving in a couple of weeks.
“WILLIAMS did not provide his mother with any information about his fate,” he added.
A witness described as a former romantic couple of Williams claimed to have seen pictures of her “taking a laptop or a hard drive from Speaker Pelosi’s office.”
“[Witness 1] stated that WILLIAMS intended to send the computer device to a friend in Russia, who then planned to sell the device to SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service, ”an agent said.
“Seconds [Witness 1], the transfer of the computer device to Russia fell for unknown reasons and WILLIAMS still has the computer device or destroyed it, “according to the affidavit, which includes a link to a documentary produced by London-based ITV News.
You can see a woman identified as Williams, wearing glasses, a green shirt and a brown raincoat and carrying a bag over her shoulder, shouting “up, up, up,” pushing people toward the Pelosi’s office, according to NPR.
The show distinguishes the woman, saying she was “disciplined, focused, with a sense of urgency, directing people up a ladder.”
On Jan. 16, William’s mother told authorities “a British media crew had come to her home the night before, asking to speak to WILLIAMS, who was not there,” according to the affidavit.
“The information team presented to WILLIAMS’ mother one or more images taken at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Her mother acknowledged that it was WILLIAMS ’image,” the affidavit said.
“It looks like WILLIAMS has fled,” he added.
Williams has not been charged with theft.