US: Woman who stole Nancy Pelosi's laptop 'planned to sell it to Russia'

US Federal authorities on January 18 alleged that the woman who stole House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop wanted to sell it to Russia. The FBI was looking for the accused woman whose partner told authorities that she stole the device from the congressional office of the House speaker during the riots at the US Capitol earlier this month. According to a Guardian report, the FBI has issued an arrest warrant against the woman identified as Riley June Williams, but she hasn’t been legally charged. 

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), on January 6, a Pennsylvania woman was seen entering inside Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the Capitol riots in the CCTV footage and was caught stealing a laptop and a hard drive. In an affidavit that the officers signed Monday, they charged the woman for entering a restricted building and for disorderly conduct, and instigating and participating in the capitol siege. The agency has opened a probe into allegations made by her former romantic partner that Williams was going to sell the laptop to a Russian intelligence agency, particularly SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service. He alleged that the transfer fell through for “unknown reasons”. He told the FBI that she may have destroyed the computer, although, the FBI said in a statement that the matter was “under investigation".

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Grave information security concerns

In the aftermath of the US Capitol Siege, at least two computers found 'stolen' from the building. The theft raised national security concerns as both electronic devices contained information from the Congressional offices. One laptop was reported missing from US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) office and the other from the office of Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon that has caused grave information security concerns among lawmakers. Pro-Trump mob stealing the electronic equipment from the Capitol, including House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn’s stolen iPad, have jeopardized the “national security equities”, acting US attorney, Michael Sherwin told a presser. In the CCTV visuals that emerged online, the Capitol rioters were seen hijacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with electronic devices, email inbox in full view, and official government documents exposed. 

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