The pro - Trump irregular who descended on the Capitol construct earlier this month mother up to a wad of dumb , violent , and almost certainly illegal prank . But this one takes the cake : A capitol rioter allegedly stole a laptop computer from House Speaker Nancy ’s Pelosi ’s office to attempt to pawn it off to the Russian government , according to afederal affidavitfiled Sunday .
Riley June Williams , a Pennsylvania woman who is face several charges related to the beleaguering , was reportedly turned into authority by a former “ wild-eyed mate ” who claimed as much . Williams ’ ex ( identified as W1 in the filing ) get through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and evidence them she “ intended to send the computer machine to a friend in Russia , who then design to trade the machine to SVR , Russia ’s foreign intelligence overhaul , ” per the courtyard documents . W1 claimed to have reviewed video of Williams stealing the laptop computer , which would cross give all of the cretin seengiddily livestreaming and snapping selfiesduring the insurgency .
But obviously , the deal locomote sour . According to the x , “ the transfer of the computer equipment to Russia strike down through for unknown reasons and Williams still has the figurer equipment or ruin it . ”
Photo: Samuel Corum (Getty Images)
One reason may be that Williams did n’t nab the goldmine of top - secret intel that she likely thought she did . After the attack on the Capitol , Pelosi ’s surrogate foreman of stave , Drew Hammill , confirmedon Twitterthat Pelosi ’s laptop had been stolen from a conference room , but said it was “ only used for presentation . ”
The defendant and the laptop ( or perhaps what remains of it ) are patently still at large , as the affidavit says that “ [ i]t appear Williams has fly . ” Sometime after Jan. 6 , she also discontinued her phone number and nuked her social media account on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , Reddit , Telegram , and Parler , the FBI said .
Williams ’ female parent told local jurisprudence enforcement military officer in Harrisburg that her girl pack a old bag and left home but did n’t volunteer any details about where she was live on , just enunciate that she ’d be go for a few calendar week . Williams ’ mother also filed a suspicious report with local police on Jan. 11 , the FBI said . The agency tot up that the somebody in dubiousness “ was take on to be W1 . ”
The affidavit links to aYouTube videoabout the Capitol riot produced by ITV News in which a person claiming to be Williams ’ mother tell a newsman she recognized her daughter amid footage of the attack . Williams ’ female parent exit on to arrogate that her daughter had recently become obsessed with President Donald Trump ’s political sympathies and “ far - right subject matter boards . ” In the video , a woman identified as Williams is seen urging her fellow rioter to follow her on a higher floor in the focussing of Pelosi ’s billet .
The FBI ’s investigation remains ongoing . The affidavit charges Williams with illegitimate entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol priming based on video evidence , but if these claims about Russian dealings prove true she could be facing even more serious charges .
IT professionals have call the Capitol riot a“nightmare scenario”for cybersecurity as potency continue to reveal the cathode-ray oscilloscope of the side effect . Insurgents ran off with several electronic machine left behind in the scamper to void the construction . At leastone other computerwas identified as being stolen during the attack , a laptop belonging to the situation of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon , in improver to Pelosi ’s .
LaptopssoftwareX ( Twitter )
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