NYT has more on jailed Russian call girl in Thailand?

[orangecrush]

A few minutes ago, New York Times released an article saying she is claiming to have audio tapes proving Russian election interference.

I can't get behind the firewall.

Anyone know what the story is?

[teach1st]

1. Escort Says Audio Recordings Show Russian Meddling in U.S. Election

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/05/world/asia/nastya-rybka-trump-putin.html

The escort, Anastasia Vashukevich, said she would hand over the recordings if the United States granted her asylum. She faces criminal charges and deportation to Belarus after coming under suspicion of working in Thailand without a visa at a sex-training seminar in the city of Pattaya.

Ms. Vashukevich, who described herself as close to the Russian aluminum tycoon Oleg V. Deripaska, said that audio recordings she made in August 2016 included discussions he had about the United States presidential election with people she declined to identify.
...

“If America gives me protection, I will tell everything I know,” Ms. Vashukevich said on Monday. “I am afraid to go back to Russia. Some strange things can happen.”

Her assertion could be easy to disregard were it not for a 25-minute video investigation posted last month on YouTube by the Russian opposition figure Aleksei A. Navalny, which relies heavily on videos and photographs from Ms. Vashukevich.

[grantcart]

5. The video is from 2016 I believe. Navalny has gone on record doubting her recent claims

[teach1st]

8. I haven't heard that.

It's a video linked to in today's Times article.

[grantcart]

14. Daily Mail has a very long article that documents the background story

To be clear, her videos are from 2016, Navalny's video is from earlier this year and was about Russian corruption, not interference with the US campaign.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5446907/Belarusian-sex-worker-alleges-Trump-Russia-tie-without-proof.html

Rybka's 2016 videos - linking Deripaska to a Russian Deputy Prime Minister - were used in an investigation by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Navalny's report made no claim that Rybka knew anything about a Russian campaign to influence the U.S. election, and she has produced no evidence that she does.

Speaking today about Rybka's claims, Navalny said he has 'certain doubts' that she has anything proving direct ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

[teach1st]

16. Thanks!

[orangecrush]

10. She may be bait, Grant

No doubt in my military surplus mind.

I have trust in intelligence specialists with the training to sift out the bullshit.

[grantcart]

19. The evidence that no intelligence specialists find her credible is that she is located in

an immigration jail in Chol Buri, a facility that I used to regularly visit.

If the Thais, who have very a very good intelligence service, thought that she was a potential asset then she would be sitting in a safe house awaiting vetting and eventual transfer. The last place they would keep her would be in an immigration jail where you are kept with dozens of other foreign nationals.

[orangecrush]

20. Well!

Why didn't you just say that in the first place?




Please don't take offense, just joking.

But, you obviously know what you're talking about, I obviously don't, so I will shut up now.

Thanks for your insight!

[orangecrush]

7. THANK YOU!

[lapfog_1]

2. I don't care if this is a scam to get her out of jail

I really hope Mueller's team is extraditing her to the US as a material witness, on the chance she has some taped evidence.

[grantcart]

3. Its not new, she claims to have 16 hours of tape that will prove Russian meddling in US elections

https://politicalwire.com/2018/03/05/escort-says-audio-recordings-prove-russian-meddling/

“A Belarusian escort with close ties to a powerful Russian oligarch said from behind bars in Bangkok on Monday that she had more than 16 hours of audio recordings that could help shed light on Russian meddling in United States elections,” the New York Times reports.

“The escort, Anastasia Vashukevich, said she would hand over the recordings if the United States granted her asylum. She faces criminal charges and deportation to Belarus after coming under suspicion of working in Thailand without a visa at a sex-training seminar in the city of Pattaya.”

[triron]

4. You refer to this?

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/05/world/asia/nastya-rybka-trump-putin.html?referer=https://t.co/LcAJyMj5g4?amp=1#click=https://t.co/LcAJyMj5g4

From the cited article:
"The escort, Anastasia Vashukevich, said she would hand over the recordings if the United States granted her asylum. She faces criminal charges and deportation to Belarus after coming under suspicion of working in Thailand without a visa at a sex-training seminar in the city of Pattaya.

Ms. Vashukevich, who described herself as close to the Russian aluminum tycoon Oleg V. Deripaska, said that audio recordings she made in August 2016 included discussions he had about the United States presidential election with people she declined to identify.

Mr. Deripaska, a billionaire with close ties to Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, also has business ties to Paul J. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman. Mr. Manafort is under investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel looking into the campaign’s connections to Russia.

“If America gives me protection, I will tell everything I know,” Ms. Vashukevich said on Monday. “I am afraid to go back to Russia. Some strange things can happen.”



Oops someone beat me to this

[orangecrush]

11. Yep

I wonder if her name is somewhere in the Steele dossier?

[Corgigal]

6. Let's hire Christopher Steele

He can listen to the tape, let him run down the voices.

[Motley13]

9. Where is the tape? you can be sure the Russians & everyone else is looking for it. No doubt her life

is in danger. She might be safer in a Thai jail

[orangecrush]

12. Thailand

is basically a Russian owned resort now.

The city where she was arrested is a Russian mafia hangout.

Thanks to Grantcart for that info.

[grantcart]

21. the city of Pattay has a large number of Russians and Russian Mafia there

They have no real influence on the Thais who will take their money but not take orders from them.

They are regularly arrested there

https://www.thephuketnews.com/russian-mafia-suspects-rounded-up-mostly-in-pattaya-61464.php

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/suspected-russian-boss-detained/

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/807837-alleged-russian-mafia-arrested-in-pattaya/

[orangecrush]

22. Thank you!

I have friends who served in Thailand during the "Secret War" in Laos.

I have heard nothing but good things about the Thai people.

[renate]

13. Why on earth does she think the US would help? Doesn't she know who the president is?

I'd think there are about 200 other countries who are likely sources of asylum than the U.S.

And quite a few of those would really enjoy hearing what she claims she has to say. I really don't get what her thought processes could possibly be, for her to be asking for help from the United States.

[orangecrush]

15. Great point

That thought crossed my mind as well.

[mr_lebowski]

17. Exactly ... not buying this story ... if she 'has something' it'll be Manafort/Deripaska colluding

And nothing about Trump or anyone any closer to the Campaign than Manafort/Gates.

I'll be positive of that if Trump turns round and decides to 'put an end to all this Russia nonsense by helping the Hooker out and bringing her over to tell all she knows!'

Whole thing reeks to high heaven ... before Trump invites her though he's going to wait and try to bait Dems into going to bat for her, which he'll at first deny, turn the whole f***ing thing into a big media spectacle, then once Dems have stuck their necks out he'll pretend to be magnanimous and bring her over here ... where she'll tell everyone IT WAS MANAFORT ... the guy already busted.

Please Dems, don't be friggin' stupid here by playing his game.

[woodsprite]

18. IMO I think she's a plant, and Putin could use her over here. Her story sounds fishy.

If Putin wanted to off her, he would have just done it.