they are going to tell you to get lost. But you are going to target someone who is greedy, lonely, ambitious. And he fit the picture.
And it turned out that he, in fact, had been a long-time target of Russian intelligence and under investigation by U.S. counterintelligence. So, you know, that's a long way of saying I think there are other espionage and sanctions cases that shed light on the bigger operation.
MS. SPEIER: All right. Let me move onto another property, the Soho property. What do you know about Tamir Sapir?
MR. SIMPSON: I used to know a lot. I don't remember. I think he is of Central Asian background. I believe he is deceased now. And I believe he is -- I guess there is some inter-marriage. I can't remember how it is. But I remember something about weddings and them being socially connected. That's about all I remember. I am sort of thinking back to one of the other questions that Congressman Schiff asked about, things to look at. And it's kind of an uncomfortable -- I don't know really how to put it, but there is a lot of -- Putin seems to be very interested in the Jewish Diaspora. And there seems to be, especially, the sort of Orthodox or ultra religious or conservative, and there is a definitely something interesting to all that. Chabad, in particular, is a subject that is curious and interesting.
And Putin essentially took over the Russian Jewish community and the leadership of the Russian Jewish community. And appears, for reasons I can't fully explain to be -- this appears to be a very interesting route for the Russians. And again, I think there are many routes for the Russians. They use trade groups, they use ethnic association groups, and at least -- and they use religious groups.
UNCLASSIFIED, COMMITTEE SENSITIVE
