MEMORANDUM

FROM: Mark Meadows, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Government Operations, House

Oversight and Reform Committee

TO: The Honorable William P. Barr, Attorney General of the United States

RE: Referral of Nellie Ohr for Potential Violation of 18 U.S.C. §1001

On October 19, 2018, Nellie Ohr appeared before the House Committee on the Judiciary
and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform as part of our joint
investigation into decisions made and not made by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) surrounding the 2016 presidential election. Documents
and information reviewed by our committees raise concerns Ms. Ohr knowingly provided false
testimony in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1001.

During her transcribed interview, Ms. Ohr testified she “would not have any knowledge
of what [was] going on in an ongoing investigation” at DOJ and would not “have any knowledge
of the Department of Justice’s investigations on Russia.”1 Ms. Ohr also denied she shared her
research on Russian organized crime and Donald Trump with individuals outside of Fusion GPS
(her employer); her husband, DOJ attorney Bruce Ohr, and Christopher Steele.2

However, documents reviewed by our committees raise concerns Ms. Ohr not only had
knowledge of an ongoing DOJ investigation, but that she shared information and research on
Russian organized crime to assist DOJ, in direct contradiction with her testimony. For example,
in March 2016, DOJ official Lisa Holtyn sent Bruce Ohr an email asking if Nellie would be able
to speak with Ivana Nizich and Joe Wheatley to discuss her research as part of an ongoing
investigation as she was told “Nellie might be a great resource.”3 When Mr. Ohr checked if
Nellie would feel comfortable speaking with DOJ, Nellie emailed “Sure!”4

A separate email chain indicates Ms. Ohr shared her research on Russian organized crime
in contradiction to her testimony. Specifically, on a separate email chain between Nellie Ohr,
Mr. Ohr, Ms. Holtyn, and DOJ officials Joe Wheatley and Ivana Nizich, Ms. Ohr provides the
Department of Justice with analysis of Shakro, a Russian mafia boss, and the separatists in the

1
See House Committee on the Judiciary and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Transcribed
Interview of Nellie Ohr (October 19, 2018) at 77 (Question: “Just to make that one crystal clear, did you, at the time,
that you were working for Fusion GPS, have any knowledge of the Department of Justice’s investigations on
Russia?” Ms. Ohr: “No”); see id. (Question: “So you would not have any knowledge of what is going on in an
ongoing investigation?” Ms. Ohr: “Correct”).
2
See Transcribed Interview of Nellie Ohr at 80 (Question: “At any point prior to fall of 2016, did you discuss your
research on organized crime and Donald Trump with individuals outside of Fusion GPS, outside of this [July 30,
2016] Mayflower breakfast meeting?” Ms. Ohr: “No”).
3
Email from Lisa Holtyn to Bruce Ohr, March 23, 2016 (available on file with the Committee).
4
Email from Nellie Ohr to Bruce Ohr, March 23, 2016 (available on file with the Committee).
Donbass war.5 Taking these communications into account, in addition to other information we
have reviewed, Ms. Ohr misled the committees when she testified she would not have any
knowledge of what was going on in an ongoing DOJ investigation, and that she had not shared
her research outside of Fusion GPS, her husband, and Christopher Steele.

Truthful witness testimony is crucial to the integrity of investigations conducted by the

House of Representatives. Ms. Ohr violated her oath to tell the truth by making demonstrably
false statements during her testimony before the Committee. Accordingly, I am referring Nellie
Ohr to the Department of Justice for investigation of potential violation(s) of 18 U.S.C. §1001 et
seq.

5
Email from Nellie Ohr to Bruce Ohr, Lisa Holtyn, Joe Wheatley and Ivana Nizich, July 26, 2016 (available on file
with the Committee).