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U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Trenga has set a date for the trial of Igor Danchenko, sub-source for the infamous dossier on former President Trump compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele.
Trenga announced at a hearing in the Eastern District of Virginia court that Danchenko’s trial is scheduled for Oct. 11, 2022.
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Special Counsel John Durham had brought up concerns about a possible conflict of interest because lawyers associated with Danchenko’s defense teams have also represented Hillary Clinton in the past.
During questioning by Trenga, Danchenko said his lawyers had advised him on the matter, he understood the nature of the conflict and he had “absolutely not” been influenced by anyone.
Russian analyst Igor Danchenko arrives at the Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse before being arraigned on Nov. 10, 2021 in Alexandria, Virginia. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Trenga also said he had reviewed a waiver from Danchenko’s defense team on the issue of a possible conflict of interest and was satisfied that the lawyers can continue to defend their client in this case.
Danchenko is charged with five counts of providing false statements to the FBI for allegedly lying about the source of information that he provided to Steele for the dossier on then-candidate Trump.
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According to the indictment, in March, May, June, October and November of 2017, Danchenko made false statements regarding the sources of certain information that he provided to a U.K. investigative firm that was then included in reports prepared by the U.K. investigative firm and subsequently passed to the FBI.
The indictment stemmed from the investigation of Durham, who has been probing the origins of the Russia investigation, which was initiated by the FBI before being taken over by then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
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Danchenko pleaded not guilty in federal court in November. The case against him came after Durham in October indicted Clinton lawyer Michael Sussmann for making a false statement. The indictment in that case alleges that Sussmann told then-FBI General Counsel James Baker in September 2016 that he was not doing work “for any client” when he requested and held a meeting in which he presented data and evidence of a purported secret communications channel between then-candidate Trump and Alfa Bank, which has ties to the Kremlin.
The indictment against Sussmann says he lied to Baker when he presented data linking the Trump Organization to a secret server that communicated with Alfa Bank. The indictment indicates Durham may be expanding his investigation to bring separate charges again Sussmann or additional defendants.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Jake Gibson is a producer working at the Fox News Washington bureau who covers politics, law enforcement and intelligence issues.
