US Intelligence Agencies Investigating Communications, Possible Financial Transfers Between Russia and Trump’s Associates

Four US Agencies, Three Trump Associates, Cash, Communications, Russia, the Election

At least four U.S.Â law enforcement and intelligence agencies are investigating intercepted communications and financial transfers as part of a broad investigation into at least three past and present close associates ofÂ Donald Trump and his presidential campaign, and Russian officials, according to a Thursday night report by The New York Times.Â

The report was published about 15 hours beforeÂ Donald Trump will be sworn in as president, prompting the Times to make clear the context, which is chilling:

“The continuing counterintelligence investigation means that Mr. Trump will take the oath of office on Friday with his associates under investigation and after the intelligence agencies concluded that the Russian government had worked to help elect him. As president, Mr. Trump will oversee those agencies and have the authority to redirect or stop at least some of these efforts.”

Some believe the paper’s sources leaked the information to ensure their investigation would not be thwarted under a Trump administration.

The three former Trump associates are Paul ManafortÂ (photo), Carter Page, and Roger Stone. The Times cites “current and former senior American officials” as its sources.

“The counterintelligence investigation centers at least in part on the business dealings that some of the president-electâ€™s past and present advisers have had withÂ Russia,” the Times report states.Â Mr. Manafort has done business in Ukraine and Russia. Some of his contacts there were under surveillance by the National Security Agency for suspected links to Russiaâ€™s Federal Security Service, one of the officials said.”

The FBI is in charge of the investigation, and is working withÂ the National Security Agency (NSA), the CIA,Â and the Treasury Departmentâ€™s financial crimes unit.

“The investigators have accelerated their efforts in recent weeks but have found no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing, the officials said. One official said intelligence reports based on some of the wiretapped communications had been provided to the White House,” according to the Times.

Manafort is Trump’sÂ former campaign chairman who left under a cloud after allegations of secret cash payments from Ukraine officials aligned with Russia to Manafort, and allegations of secret lobbying.

The Times report echoes ones published over the past eight days by the BBC and McClatchy, which named six intelligence agencies working on a similar investigation.

“Investigators are examining how money may have moved from the Kremlin to covertly help Trump win, the two sources said,” theÂ McClatchy report states. It adds: “The BBC reported last weekÂ that the joint inquiry was launched when the CIA learned last spring, through a Baltic ally, of a recording indicating the Russian government was planning to funnel funds aimed at influencing the U.S. election.”