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<\/a>FILE – In this March 28, 2017, file photo, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gestures while speaking before the Professional Businesswomen of California in San Francisco.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
By Andrew Blake<\/span> – The Washington Times<\/span><\/p>\n A Russian man wanted by the Justice Department<\/a> on charges connected to hacking U.S. companies now claims the FBI<\/a> offered him immunity in exchange for accepting responsibility for cyberattacks targeting former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton<\/a>.<\/p>\n Yevgeny Nikulin<\/a>, the alleged hacker, laid the claim to Russian media Thursday in a letter sent from a Czech Republic prison cell amid an international extradition battle currently underway<\/a> between Washington and Moscow.<\/p>\n FBI<\/a> agents promised Mr. Nikulin<\/a> money, American citizenship and a free apartment for taking the fall over hacking Mrs. Clinton<\/a>\u2019s campaign, he alleged in a letter published<\/a> Thursday by Nastoyashchoe Vremya, a Russian-language website.<\/p>\n \u201c[They told me:] you will have to confess to breaking into Clinton<\/a>\u2019s inbox for [President Trump] on behalf of [Russian President Vladimir Putin],\u201d Mr. Nikulin<\/a> wrote, as translated<\/a> by The Moscow Times.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was offered to falsely testify that he was cooperating in the attack on the Democratic Party,\u201d defense attorney Martin Sadilek said Thursday, the Associated Press reported.<\/p>\n The FBI<\/a> declined to comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Mr. Nikulin<\/a> was apprehended in Prague last October pursuant to an internal arrest warrant and was subsequently charged<\/a> by a federal grand jury in California with hacking LinkedIn, Dropbox and Formspring, three San Francisco-based internet companies. He\u2019s wanted in both the U.S. and Russia, however, and has remained for months in Czech custody as authorities review requests from both countries.<\/p>\n FBI<\/a> agents interviewed Mr. Nikulin<\/a> twice since his arrest, he wrote, and each time asked him to confess to hacking American political targets. Mr. Nikulin<\/a> said he refused their initial request last November, then received a second offer three months later.<\/p>\n FBI<\/a> agents asked Mr. Nikulin<\/a>\u00a0to admit hacking Mrs. Clinton<\/a>\u2019s presidential campaign, Democratic Party computers and American polling stations \u201con Putin\u2019s orders,\u201d he wrote. In exchange, he alleges, the FBI<\/a> said he\u2019d be extradited to the U.S. but ultimately given money, citizenship and a free apartment.<\/p>\n The U.S. intelligence community concluded in January that Mr. Putin directed the Russian government to wage an influence campaign during last year\u2019s White House race aimed at hindering Mrs. Clinton<\/a>\u2019s odds of defeating her rival and the election\u2019s ultimate victor, Mr. Trump, using state-sponsored hackers, government-funded propaganda outlets and various internet conduits, among other facets.<\/p>\n The Justice Department<\/a> has charged Mr. Nikulin<\/a> with hacking LinkedIn, Dropbox and Formspring, but not for cyberattacks on the political targets compromised during the run up to last year\u2019s election. The U.S. government has largely attributed those cyberattacks to a division of Russia\u2019s military intelligence agency, GRU, referred to by names including APT 28, Pawn Storm and Fancy Bear.<\/p>\n An extradition hearing concerning Mr. Nikulin<\/a> had scheduled for Thursday, May 11, in Prague, but proceedings were abruptly postponed until May 30 due to formal objections raised by defense attorneys involving language barriers and other issues, the Associated Press reported.<\/p>\n