The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has found contacts between an unnamed member of the far-right neo-fascist Proud Boys and a person associated with the Trump administration days prior to the January Capitol riots, according to a New York Times report on Saturday.
The report found that the FBI discovered contacts between the Proud Boys and the White House through cellular and call record data, though it remains unclear the exact nature of the conversations. The discovery came as the FBI continues to investigate the network of ties between the Proud Boys, Trump associates and members of Congress.
According to the report, it was also found that there were communications between rioters and Congress members during the riots.
Thus far, the US Department of Justice has charged dozens of Proud Boys members in relation to the attack at the Capitol building, which left five dead. Some of the crimes being charged against Proud Boys members include conspiracy to obstruct the certification of President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 Presidential Election and promote the continuation of the Trump presidency.
Based on court papers, federal prosecutors said the Proud Boys coordinated travelling to Washington.The means by which the FBI attained their data was done though warrants for a list of all phones connected to cellphone towers in the area of the Capitol. The FBI received information from major cellphone carriers as well.
While the Department of Justice has not indicated it will file criminal charges against associates of former President Trump, the FBI nevertheless has already arrested a a former State Department aide, who was charged in being involved in the attack.
Federico G. Klein, the former aide, was charged for multiple crimes, and could be seen in videos attacking a police officer.
The report also noted that the Department of Justice is also investigating communications between Roger Stone, a close confidante of former President Trump and other far-right extremists to determine if they had coordinated their actions with regards the Capitol riot. At the moment, some 300 people have been charged with crimes related to the attack.