# Christopher Steele: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Man Behind the Dossier and Its Political Ramifications [[Crossfire Hurricane]] ![[Christopher Steele Headshot.png]] ## Background and Early Career **Christopher David Steele** was born on June 24, 1964, in [Aden, Yemen (then part of the British-controlled Federation of South Arabia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Steele). His parents, Perris and Janet, worked for the Met Office, the United Kingdom's national weather service. Steele was raised across various locations including Aden, the Shetland Islands, Cyprus, and attended Wellington College, Berkshire. Steele matriculated at Girton College, Cambridge in 1982, where he wrote for the student newspaper _Varsity_ and served as president of the Cambridge Union debating society in the Easter term of 1986. He graduated with a degree in Social and Political Sciences in 1986 and was recruited directly by [[MI6]] following his graduation. ## Intelligence Career at MI6 Steele's 22-year career with British intelligence began in 1987, initially working at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London from 1987 to 1989. From 1990 to 1993, he served as an MI6 officer under diplomatic cover at the British Embassy in Moscow, working as an "internal traveller" visiting newly-accessible cities such as Samara and Kazan. After returning to London in 1993, Steele continued his intelligence work at the FCO until postings to Bangkok in 1998 and then Paris the same year, where he served under diplomatic cover until 2002. Between 2006 and 2009, he headed the Russia Desk at MI6, serving as a senior officer under John Scarlett, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service. **Key Intelligence Work:** - Counterintelligence specialist selected as case officer for Alexander Litvinenko - Participated in the investigation of the Litvinenko poisoning in 2006 - Considered an expert on Russian affairs and intelligence operations - According to Russian double agent Boris Karpichkov, Steele was included on a Russian Federal Security Service hit list along with Sergei Skripal ## Private Sector Career: Orbis Business Intelligence In March 2009, Steele co-founded **Orbis Business Intelligence, Ltd.** with fellow MI6 retiree Chris Burrows, based in London's Belgravia district. The company provided strategic insight, intelligence, and investigative services, grossing approximately $20 million in its first nine years of operation. Between 2014 and 2016, Steele created over 100 reports on Russian and Ukrainian issues that were read within the U.S. State Department, and he was viewed as credible by the U.S. intelligence community. He ran an investigation dubbed "Project Charlemagne," which documented Russian interference in the domestic politics of France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. ## The Steele Dossier: Genesis and Development ### Origins and Funding The dossier originated from opposition research that began in October 2015, initially funded by the conservative website **The Washington Free Beacon** and later by the **[[Democratic National Committee]] (DNC)** and **[[Hillary Clinton]]'s [2016 presidential campaign](https://nypost.com/2022/03/30/clinton-campaign-dnc-fined-by-fec-for-lying-about-steele-dossier-payments/)** through the law firm **Perkins Coie**. **Key Timeline:** - **October 2015**: [Washington Free Beacon funds Fusion GPS to research Trump during Republican primaries](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/28/560544607/conservative-website-initially-hired-firm-that-later-produced-trump-dossier) - **April 2016**: [Funding shifts to DNC and Clinton campaign through Perkins Coie](https://lynnwoodtimes.com/2025/07/20/trump-coup/) - **May-June 2016**: [Glenn Simpson of Fusion GPS hires Christopher Steele](https://abcnews.go.com/US/dossier-christopher-steele-penned-reports-fallout-unmasking/story?id=80536926) - **June 20, 2016**: [Steele produces his first report (Report 80)](https://www.npr.org/2019/11/26/782908119/fusion-gps-founders-on-russian-efforts-to-sow-discord-they-have-succeeded) - **December 13, 2016**: [Steele completes his final memorandum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_dossier) ### Financial Arrangements According to court records and FEC filings, the Clinton campaign and DNC paid **over $1 million** to [[Perkins Coie]], which then hired [[Fusion GPS]]. Fusion GPS paid Steele's company, Orbis Business Intelligence, [**$168,000** for the work](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-fusion-gps-paid-steele-168000-to-work-on-trump-dossier/). In March 2022, the Federal Election Commission fined both organizations [**$113,000 total** ($105,000 for the DNC, $8,000 for the Clinton campaign)](https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-2022-midterm-elections-business-elections-presidential-elections-5468774d18e8c46f81b55e9260b13e93) for misreporting these payments as "legal services" rather than opposition research. ### Key Players in the Network **Marc Elias**: Partner at Perkins Coie who served as the intermediary between the Clinton campaign and Fusion GPS, [coordinating the research efforts](https://nypost.com/2021/09/23/did-jake-sullivan-commit-perjury-e-mails-reveal-lie-on-trump/). **[[Jake Sullivan]]**: Current National Security Adviser who served as Clinton's foreign policy adviser and was briefed on the dossier development. Durham's investigation identified Sullivan as the ["foreign policy advisor" referenced in the Sussmann indictment](https://nypost.com/2022/05/18/steele-dossier-firm-pushed-journalist-to-spread-incorrect-trump-russia-theory-witness/). **[[Glenn Simpson]]**: [Co-founder of Fusion GPS who orchestrated the dossier's distribution](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/national-security-adviser-jake-sullivan-foreign-policy-advisor-former-clinton-lawyers-indictment) to the FBI and media outlets. ## FBI Interface and Intelligence Community Response ### Initial Contact and Relationship Steele had been a **Confidential Human Source (CHS)** for the FBI since 2013, initially in connection with the FIFA corruption case. However, there were "divergent expectations" about his role, as Steele considered his relationship contractual rather than as a traditional CHS. **Key Interactions:** - **July 5, 2016**: Steele meets with FBI agent Michael Gaeta in London, providing his first report - **August 2016**: FBI requests all information in Steele's possession - **September 19, 2016**: Six of Steele's reports reach the Crossfire Hurricane team - **November 2016**: FBI formally closes Steele as a CHS due to unauthorized media contacts ### FBI Knowledge of Reliability Issues Multiple investigations revealed that the FBI was aware of significant problems with Steele's reporting and sources **well before** using the dossier for FISA applications: **Early Warning Signs:** - **September 2016**: [Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kathleen Kavalec documented discrepancies](https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/442944-fbis-steele-story-falls-apart-false-intel-and-media-contacts-were-flagged) in Steele's claims, including a non-existent Russian consulate in Miami - **December 2016**: The Crossfire Hurricane team learned that [Steele's primary sub-source had been the subject of an FBI counterintelligence investigation](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-judiciary-chair-lindsey-graham-releases-new-details-about-source-of-steele-dossier/) from 2009-2011 as a suspected Russian agent - **January-March 2017**: FBI interviews with Steele's primary sub-source revealed the information was ["second and third-hand information and rumors at best"](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-previously-investigated-steele-dossier-source-as-russian-agent) ### Durham Report Findings The **Durham Report**, released in May 2023, concluded that the FBI **["could not corroborate a single substantive allegation contained in the Steele Reports"](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-judiciary-committee-documents-steele-dossier)** despite offering Steele $1 million for corroboration. The report found that the FBI: - Used "raw, unanalyzed, and uncorroborated intelligence" to launch Crossfire Hurricane - Applied different standards when investigating Clinton-related matters versus Trump-related allegations - Failed to adequately examine the motivations of those providing information - Displayed ["confirmation bias" throughout the investigation](https://www.cato.org/blog/durham-report-trumps-vindication) ## Dossier Contents and Reliability Issues ### Major Claims The dossier contained **17 intelligence memoranda** alleging: 1. A "well-developed conspiracy of cooperation" between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives 2. Russian possession of compromising material ("kompromat") on Trump 3. Secret meetings between Trump associates and Russian officials 4. Russian hacking operations coordinated with the Trump campaign ### Specific Debunked Allegations **Michael Cohen Prague Meeting**: The dossier claimed Cohen secretly met with Kremlin officials in Prague in August 2016. Cohen has consistently denied ever visiting Prague, and the Mueller investigation could not substantiate this claim. **The "Pee Tape"**: Perhaps the most sensational allegation involved a video of Trump with Russian prostitutes in a Moscow hotel room. This claim has [never been verified despite extensive investigation](https://apnews.com/article/durham-report-fbi-trump-clinton-2016-campaign-f3039e651eeb35a09091c363419e6766). **Carter Page Allegations**: Claims about Page's role as an intermediary were used to justify [FISA surveillance warrants](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/15/politics/john-durham-report-fbi-trump-released), but subsequent investigations found no evidence of the alleged coordination. ### Source Reliability Problems **Igor Danchenko**, identified as Steele's primary sub-source, was: - The subject of an [FBI counterintelligence investigation (2009-2011) as a suspected Russian agent](https://www.foxnews.com/media/christopher-steele-michael-cohen-colluded-prague) - Told FBI investigators in 2017 that [much of his information was "hearsay" and "just talk"](https://www.vox.com/2018/4/13/17236660/michael-cohen-prague-trump-steele-dossier) - [Indicted by Durham in November 2021](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/04/michael-cohen-abandons-lawsuits-he-filed-arguing-the-steel-dossier-is-false/) for lying to the FBI about his sources - Remained on FBI payroll as an informant from March 2017 to October 2020 despite reliability concerns ## Media Dissemination and Public Impact ### Path to Publication The dossier's journey to public attention involved multiple channels: **Government Officials:** - **November 2016**: Sir Andrew Wood informs Senator John McCain about the dossier's existence - **December 9, 2016**: McCain personally delivers a copy to FBI Director James Comey - **January 2017**: Intelligence officials brief both Obama and Trump on the dossier's existence **Media Strategy:** - Steele met with multiple journalists, including [David Corn of _Mother Jones_](https://www.vox.com/2018/4/15/17233994/comey-interview-trump-pee-tape-russia) - [Fusion GPS coordinated with reporters](https://abc7.com/post/christopher-steele-dossier-donald-trump-russia/11139511/) to promote the allegations - **January 10, 2017**: BuzzFeed publishes the complete dossier without Steele's permission ### Political Ramifications The dossier's publication had immediate political consequences: - [Trump denounced it as "fake news"](https://www.npr.org/2021/11/04/1052346058/a-key-source-for-the-infamous-trump-russia-dossier-is-charged-with-lying-to-the-) and compared the leak to Nazi Germany tactics - Democrats used it to support claims of Trump-Russia collusion - It became a central element in the Mueller investigation and Congressional inquiries - Created lasting partisan divisions over the Russia investigation's legitimacy ## Steele's Anti-Trump Bias and Political Motivations ### Documented Bias Multiple sources confirmed Steele's **political opposition to Trump**: **FBI Documentation:** - FBI 302 reports documented that [Steele was "desperate that Donald Trump not get elected"](https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/debunked-anti-trump-dossier-sub-source-who-sought-to-traffic-classified-information-remained-on-fbi-payroll-until-late-2020) - Bruce Ohr informed the FBI in September 2016 that Steele was "passionate about him not being the U.S. President" - Steele told Ohr he was motivated to prevent Trump from becoming president **Professional Assessment:** - The House Intelligence Committee's 2018 memo documented Steele's bias - FBI agents expressed concerns about Steele's political motivations before the FISA applications - Despite this knowledge, the FBI continued to rely on his reporting for surveillance warrants ## Current Status and Recent Developments ### Legal Challenges **UK Defamation Lawsuit (2024)**: Trump filed a data protection lawsuit against Steele and Orbis in London court, claiming the dossier violated British privacy laws and harmed his reputation. In February 2024, Judge Karen Steyn dismissed the case, ruling Trump had no grounds for compensation. Trump was ordered to pay [**£300,000 ($382,000)** in legal fees to Orbis](https://investigaterussia.org/players/christopher-steele). **U.S. Litigation**: Trump's broader RICO lawsuit against Steele, Clinton, and others was [dismissed by a federal judge in Florida in 2022](https://www.newsweek.com/everything-we-know-about-trump-dossier-author-christopher-steele-intelligence-541810). ### Current Employment and Activities **Orbis Business Intelligence**: Steele continues as founder and director of Orbis, which [remains active in corporate intelligence work](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-didnt-disclose-reason-to-doubt-credibility-of-key-source-to-fisa-court-docs-show). Recent company updates indicate ongoing operations in geopolitical analysis, including assessments of Russian military corruption. **Public Appearances**: In 2024, Steele published a book titled **["Unredacted: Russia, Trump, and the Fight for Democracy"](https://abcnews.go.com/US/uk-judge-orders-trump-pay-380k-man-penned/story?id=107902444)** and has made media appearances defending his work. He participated in events such as the [Nevill Holt Festival and Oxford Union Q&A sessions](https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/01/politics/uk-judge-dismissed-trumps-suit-against-ex-spy-who-wrote-russia-dossier). **Current Location**: Steele continues to reside in the UK, specifically in Farnham, Surrey, where he has lived since leaving MI6. ## Family and Personal Life Steele is married with **four children** and has lived in Farnham, Surrey since his retirement from MI6. Due to security concerns following the dossier's publication, he temporarily went into hiding in January 2017 but has since resumed public activities. **Security Concerns**: Steele has refrained from traveling to Russia since 2009 and to the United States since his authorship became public, citing security and legal concerns. ## Connections to Russian Figures ### Professional Relationships **Oleg Deripaska**: Between 2014-2016, Steele cooperated with Bruce Ohr in unsuccessful FBI efforts to flip Deripaska into an informant. In 2012, [Orbis was subcontracted by a law firm representing Deripaska](https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Trump-v-Orbis-Judgment.pdf). **No Direct Putin Connections**: Despite extensive investigation, no evidence has emerged of direct connections between Steele and Vladimir Putin or his inner circle. Steele's expertise on Russia came through his professional intelligence work rather than personal relationships. ### Intelligence Assessment Steele has consistently warned about Russian interference in Western democracies, arguing that Moscow's aim is ["to create great polarity, great partisanship and divisions within political life"](https://uk.linkedin.com/company/orbis-business-intelligence-limited). He has called for [organized counter-efforts to prevent Russian disruption](https://orbisbi.com/) of democratic processes. ## Recent Revelations and Durham Annex ### Classified Durham Appendix (July 2025) In July 2025, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley released the previously classified annex to Durham's report, revealing: **Intelligence Community Warnings**: Foreign intelligence sources had warned as early as **March 2016** that the Clinton campaign was planning to tie Trump to Russia falsely, and that they expected the FBI to assist in this effort. **Coordinated Effort**: The annex suggests a coordinated plan involving the Clinton campaign, Fusion GPS, and expectations of FBI cooperation in promoting the Trump-Russia narrative. **Hidden Documents**: FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly discovered ["burn bags" containing thousands of classified documents](https://www.salon.com/2024/10/18/salon-talks-chris-steele/) related to Crossfire Hurricane in a hidden room at FBI headquarters. ## Conclusion: The Steele Dossier's Lasting Impact The Christopher Steele saga represents one of the most consequential intelligence controversies in modern American politics. While Steele's background as a respected MI6 officer initially lent credibility to his reporting, subsequent investigations by the Inspector General, Special Counsel Durham, and congressional committees have thoroughly discredited the dossier's central allegations. **Key Findings:** - The FBI used unverified opposition research funded by Trump's political opponents as the basis for surveillance warrants - Multiple warnings about the dossier's reliability were ignored or suppressed - Steele's documented anti-Trump bias was known to the FBI but not disclosed to the FISA court - No substantive allegations in the dossier have been corroborated despite extensive investigation The recently declassified Durham annex suggests that the dossier was part of a broader coordinated effort to create a Trump-Russia collusion narrative, with expectations that law enforcement agencies would amplify these claims. This revelation, combined with the discovery of hidden documents at FBI headquarters, indicates that the full scope of the controversy may still be emerging. Christopher Steele remains active in his private intelligence firm but has become a central figure in debates over intelligence community accountability, political weaponization of law enforcement, and the integrity of democratic institutions. His role in the 2016 election controversy continues to influence American politics and discussions about the proper boundaries between intelligence work and political opposition research.