CIA director strongly denies report Russia bilked U.S. spies

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo strongly denied on Tuesday a report that Russia bilked U.S. spies out of $100,000 by offering compromising information on President Donald Trump.

He told a Senate hearing that reporting on the matter was “totally inaccurate.” The New York Times reported on Friday that a Russian offered stolen National Security Agency cyber weapons and compromising information on Trump to cheat U.S. spies of the money last year, citing U.S. and European security officials.

Earlier, US. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said on Tuesday that Russia, as well as other foreign entities, were “likely” to pursue more cyber attacks on U.S. and European elections. “Persistent and disruptive cyber operations will continue against the United States and our European allies using elections as opportunities to undermine democracy,” Coats said at an annual Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats.

U.S. spy agencies said last year they had determined Russia used hacking and propaganda in an effort to tilt the 2016 U.S. presidential election in favor of the Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Russia has repeatedly denied this.

At a Senate hearing, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Russia, as well as other foreign entities, were “likely” to pursue more …read more