A Russian computer programmer has been arrested in Barcelona, Spain, possibly in connection with hacking during last year’s U.S. presidential election.
A spokesman for the Russian embassy in Madrid announced the arrest Sunday, but did not say why Peter Levashov was taken into custody.
Spanish authorities are reported to have notified the Russian embassy of Levashov’s arrest Friday.
The 36-year-old computer expert was allegedly arrested on a U.S. warrant while vacationing in Spain with his wife Maria Levashova, according to Russian news media and Reuters.
After Levashov’s arrest, Peter Carr, a spokesman in the U.S. Justice Department said the case “remained under seal” and Washington had “no information to provide at this time.”
The U.S. government has accused Russia of hacking Democratic Party emails to help the presidential campaign of then Republican candidate Donald Trump, who won the election in November.
The U.S. Congress is also examining links between Russia and the Trump campaign.
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