Late tonight, the New York Times reported that anonymous intelligence sources are confirming they've intercepted communications and financial transactions from Russia which may link Trump associates to Russian officials.
Paul Manafort is a focus, as is Carter Page and Roger Stone.
The counterintelligence investigation centers at least in part on the business dealings that some of the president-elect’s past and present advisers have had with Russia. 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 Russia’s Federal Security Service, one of the officials said.
Mr. Manafort is among at least three Trump campaign advisers whose possible links to Russia are under scrutiny. Two others are Carter Page, a businessman and former foreign policy adviser to the campaign, and Roger Stone, a longtime Republican operative.
This may be the most chilling part of the entire report -- the reasons why they're leaking it now:
Representatives of the agencies involved declined to comment. Of the half-dozen current and former officials who confirmed the existence of the investigations, some said they were providing information because they feared the new administration would obstruct their efforts. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the cases.
Update: AP is also reporting that one of the hackers wanted in connection with the DNC hack has been arrested in Spain.
Spanish officials say a Russian computer programmer wanted by the United States on hacking allegations has been jailed while a decision is made on whether to extradite him.
The National Court said Thursday that Stanislav Lisov, 31, was jailed Jan. 13 after Civil Guard police arrested him at Barcelona airport on an FBI warrant issued though Interpol.
The court said a Madrid judge questioned him by videoconference over charges of criminal conspiracy in connection with electronic and computer fraud for which he is wanted by the U.S. It said he was ordered jailed because of the seriousness of the offenses and the risk of him fleeing justice as he had done previously in the United States.
