Igor Danchenko a 'very important figure' in Durham's Russia investigation: Jonathan TurleyVideo

Igor Danchenko a 'very important figure' in Durham's Russia investigation: Jonathan Turley

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley discusses the upcoming trial of Steele dossier source Igor Danchenko on America Reports.'

The FBI paid Russian national Igor Danchenko more than $200,000 to serve as a confidential human source from 2017 to late 2020.

FBI Special Agent Kevin Helson testified on day three of the trial of Igor Danchenko, the Russian national who served as the primary sub-source for ex-British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and his anti-Trump dossier.

Special Counsel John Durham charged Danchenko with five counts of making false statements to the FBI. Danchenko has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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Durham, in a filing last month, revealed that Danchenko was paid by the FBI to be a confidential human source from January 2017 through October 2020.

Helson testified Thursday that Danchenko was paid more than $200,000 by the FBI for his work over the three and a half year period he served as an FBI informant.

Helson testified that, at times, Danchenko was paid up to $3,000 by the FBI for conducting just one meeting.

Helson testified that he put in a request for another $346,000 payment for Danchenko when he was closed as an FBI source, but said that request was rejected.

If the final lump sum was approved, Danchenko would have been paid more than $500,000 by the FBI.

But Helson defended Danchenko and his work for the FBI, saying he was a valuable human source, and affirmed that losing him as an informant harms U.S. national security.

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Helson testified that Danchenko’s source network was more impressive than any other informant he had encountered during his 20-year tenure at the FBI.