A prominent cybersecurity lawyer was indicted on a charge of lying to the FBI during a meeting about the Trump Russia hoax, the Justice Department announced Thursday.
Michael E. Sussman’s indictment was expected, after he was accused of making a false statement about his client during the meeting, the New York Times reports.
Sussman’s lawyers denied the accusation and vowed to fight any charge in court.
The meeting in question was on September 19, 2016 during which Sussman relayed concerns to the FBI by cybersecurity researchers who believed unusual internet data might be evidence of a covert communications channel between Trump and Russia.
The FBI eventually dismissed the concerns.
Sussman’s indictment marks the first criminal case developed by the special counsel appointed by Trump in May 2019 to investigate the Russia hoax.
