Yevgeniy Prigozhin, known as “Putin’s cook”, is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the United States by impairing, obstructing, and defeating the lawful functions of the Federal Election Commission, the United States Department of Justice, and the United States Department of State.

This occurred in Washington, D.C., from early 2014 to February 16, 2018. Prigozhin was the primary funder of the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency (IRA).

He allegedly oversaw and approved their political and electoral interference operations in the United States which included the purchase of American computer server space, the creation of hundreds of fictitious online personas, and the use of stolen identities of persons from the United States. These actions were allegedly taken to reach significant numbers of Americans for the purposes of interfering with the United States political system, including the 2016 Presidential Election.

On February 16, 2018, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Prigozhin in the US District Court for the District of Columbia after he was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to USD 250,000 for information leading to the arrest of Yevgeniy Prigozhin.