Attorney charged with making false statement in US election probe

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (KUNA) -- The special counsel investigating Russia interference in the 2016 US presidential election has charged an attorney with making a false statement about work he did with a Donald Trump campaign adviser six years ago, according to a court document.
Alex van der Zwaan, who worked in London for the prominent New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, was scheduled to appear in court today. He is accused of making a false statement regarding communications he had with Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aide, about work done in Ukraine, according to the court document, which was filed Friday.
Gates was a longtime business associate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Special counsel Robert Mueller has charged Gates and Manafort with money laundering and violations of tax and lobbying laws. Both men have pleaded not guilty. Manafort was not mentioned in the court document about van Der Zwaan.
The US Justice Department on Friday announced that Mueller had indicted 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities for allegedly meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, charging them with conspiracy to defraud the US.
In addition, three defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and five defendants with aggravated identity theft, the Justice Department announcement said. (end) rm.rk