A Pennsylvania woman charged in the January 6 riots at the US Capitol is now being investigated by the FBI over claims she stole a Laptop from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attempted to sell it in Russia.
Riley June Williams, 22, of Harrisburg, was charged on Sunday with entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct after she was captured in footage taking part in the riot.
In a court affidavit detailing the allegations against her, FBI Agent John Lund said that a former romantic partner of Williams – identified only as W1 – had also come forward to tell the bureau she had stolen either a laptop or hard drive from Pelosi’s office during the insurrection.
The witness told investigators that friends of Williams had played them a video that showed her stealing the device.
They further claimed that Williams, a care worker, then ‘intended to send the computer device to a friend in Russia, who then planned to sell the device to SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence service.’
According to the witness, the plan fell through for unknown reasons and Williams is either still in possession of the device or has since destroyed it.
Lund writes: “The transfer of the computer device to Russia fell through for unknown reasons and Williams still has the computer device or destroyed it.
“This matter remains under investigation.”
Williams has not yet been apprehended by police for those charges, with a warrant currently out for her arrest.
‘It appears that WILLIAMS has fled,’ according to the affidavit, which was signed Sunday and posted publicly after 9 p.m. ‘According to local law enforcement officers in Harrisburg, WILLIAMS’ mother stated that WILLIAMS packed a bag and left her home and told her mother she would be gone for a couple of weeks. WILLIAMS did not provide her mother any information about her intended destination.’
In video footage captured by British broadcaster ITV, Williams can be seen inside the Capitol, wearing a green T-shirt and brown trench coat, holding a zebra-print bag.
She was heard repeatedly yelling, ‘Upstairs, upstairs, upstairs,’ as she directs other intruders to proceed up a staircase.
Speaking to investigators, Williams’s mother reportedly identified her in the clip and said she had recently developed an interest in MAGA politics and begun using “far-right message boards”.
By Kingsley U.