By Patrick Byrne 
A jury today convicted Omali Yeshitela, 82, Penny Hess, 78, and Jesse Nevel, 34, all of St. Louis, along with Augustus C. Romain Jr., 38, of Atlanta, on charges of conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government. The charges stemmed from their involvement with Russian government-backed efforts to influence U.S. affairs, stretching from May 2015 to July 2022.
According to evidence presented at trial, Yeshitela, Hess, and Nevel were leaders in the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP), while Romain led the Black Hammer group. They worked under the direction of Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a Moscow-based operative who was funded by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Ionov used his organization, the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), to recruit the defendants for Russian efforts to sow division within the U.S.
Ionov arranged for Yeshitela to visit Russia in 2015, during which plans for future cooperation were laid out. Communications presented during the trial showed Yeshitela acknowledging that Ionov acted as a tool of the Russian government, designed to undermine the U.S. and promote Russia’s geopolitical agenda.
Under Ionov’s orders, the defendants conducted various activities, including drafting a petition accusing the U.S. of genocide against African Americans, organizing a U.S. tour promoting the petition, and attempting to influence local elections in St. Petersburg, Florida. Ionov also directed Yeshitela and Romain to stage pro-Russian demonstrations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The FBI and Department of Justice underscored the severity of the case, citing the defendants’ role in advancing Russia’s efforts to interfere in U.S. politics. Each defendant faces up to five years in prison, with sentencing yet to be scheduled.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the DOJ’s National Security Division and FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells announced the convictions.
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