A newly declassified FBI document reveals Fusion GPS contractor Nellie Ohr was accused of providing false testimony to Congress about her involvement in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, which probed now-debunked allegations of collusion between President Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.
The 2019 FBI report, obtained by the Daily Mail, shows that the Washington Field Office’s Public Corruption squad reviewed a Congressional criminal referral accusing Ohr of obstructing the investigation and supplying Congress with knowingly false information.
The referral centered on Ohr’s sworn statements denying knowledge of any DOJ investigation into Trump and Russia, and claiming she never shared Fusion GPS research outside the firm. However, the FBI uncovered evidence contradicting those claims, including that she shared a thumb drive of her research with her husband, then-Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr.
The FBI analysis notes it is up to the Department of Justice to determine whether the evidence warrants criminal charges for lying to Congress or obstruction.
Fusion GPS was retained by the DNC and the Clinton campaign in 2016 to link Trump to Russian interests, contributing to the discredited Steele Dossier, which was circulated among Obama administration officials and select D.C. journalists.
FBI findings show Nellie Ohr, a former CIA analyst, played a key role in researching Trump associates Carter Page, Michael Flynn, and Paul Manafort. She regularly emailed her husband research documents, which he forwarded to DOJ contacts. The Ohrs, who shared professional networks, frequently traveled and communicated with the same sources during the probe.
In a July 6, 2016 email, Nellie Ohr sent her husband an article suggesting Trump was a “laboratory creation” designed to serve Putin’s interests—bolding that specific line for emphasis.
Contrary to her testimony, the FBI found Nellie Ohr communicated directly with at least three DOJ prosecutors connected to the Crossfire Hurricane case. In April 2016, she wrote in an email that she “enjoyed talking” with DOJ officials and was “thinking about potential future conversations.”
One email exchange revealed DOJ prosecutors contacted her through Bruce Ohr, asking if she would be willing to participate in an interview. Bruce’s email read, “Hi honey! I trust you are okay with this? Love, B.” Nellie replied, “Sure!” followed by another message saying, “Cool.”
The document also disputes Nellie Ohr’s claim that she obtained her ham radio license for emergency purposes “well before” joining Fusion GPS. The timeline shows she pursued it while actively working for the firm.
