War on Journalism: US seizes Scott Ritter's Passport

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
Scott Ritter The Most Dangerous Man in the World

The truth is my weapon.

America is better off having good relations with Russia, not seeking war with Russia, and promoting arms control with Russia.

This isn't because I'm pro-Russian. I'm not pro-Russian.
I'm pro-American, and these are all good policies for America.

Do they not know that Paul Wolfowitz in 1998 tried to bribe me with multi-million dollars to lie about Saddam Hussein.

You'll not find a more patriotic person in America today than me.
There's a lot of patriots out there, and I support them. But I will take a second seat to nobody. I love this country. I will die for this country. And everything I do today is in defense of this country, including, just for the sake of you out there, articulating that America is better off having good relations with Russia, not seeking war with Russia, and promoting arms control with Russia. This isn't because I'm pro-Russian. I'm not pro-Russian.
I'm pro-American, and these are all good policies for America.

And the second thing is, who the hell thinks I can be bought?
Do they not know that Paul Wolfowitz in 1998 tried to bribe me with multi-million dollars to lie about Saddam Hussein, invite me into the administration of George, of the future George W. Bush, offer me a job at the Pentagon or the CIA, book contracts, the whole thing. United States government, or at least those who want to be part of it, have put millions of dollars in front of me if I would lie. I don't lie. The truth is my weapon. It's inconvenient sometimes to people, but the notion that I would work on behalf of the government and tell lies or peddle lies is absurd in the extreme. And that's the two messages I want to send to the Department of Defense.

You're going after the wrong guy.

I'm more patriotic than you because I give a damn about the constitution, and I can't be bought. And I'm insulted that you ever thought I could be bought.

https://x.com/ivan_8848/status/1823144735848218809

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/tassagency_en/status/1823124132986261813

https://tass.com/world/1828253?utm_s...m_social_share

Former US intel officer Ritter says FBI monitored him for years

According to Scott Ritter, FBI suspects him of having relationship with the Russian government

NEW YORK, August 13. /TASS/. Former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter said the FBI had monitored him for years.

"They admitted that they've been monitoring me for years," he said on a podcast called Judging Freedom, which is hosted by Andrew Napolitano.

"I got nothing to hide here. But they [the FBI] are concerned. It came down to their concern about my relationship with the Russian government, and that somehow I'm taking direction from the Russian government," the former officer said.

On August 7, NBC television reported Ritter's home was subjected to a search. The FBI confirmed to TASS that its agents conducted investigative actions at the former officer’s home. Ritter had previously said the searches could be related to the US government's concerns about violations of the US Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Times Union reported that the law requires individuals and organizations representing foreign interests in the United States to register with the Department of Justice and disclose their activities. Ritter strongly denies all of the allegations. He also stated the US government is seeking to intimidate him.

[onawah]

More proof of CCP lies and propaganda flooding the Internet, and how much they believe such propaganda is the penultimate tool for establishing their tyranny worldwide.
Ms. Lei has her own youtube channel and regularly does hour or more long updates about what is really going on in China, that which the CCP (obviously) does NOT report on or wish to be known...

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=e3nIi9rfSWQ

Posted by onawah (here)
Just looks like a lot of CCP funded White Monkey propaganda to me. They really hate the creators of the China Show.

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)

Firstly Mods please remove if this should be posted elsewhere, Thank you.


Respectfully I have doubts and question the credibility of the above source. It seems that there plenty of others that doubt his reliability as well and here are some examples off X.

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
Armed FBI agents beat an RT employee during a search of her home in the US and seized her equipment, the channel said in a statement on Telegram.

The woman said the federal agents searched her body and had a "separate warrant" for this. She was interrogated for about five hours about Margarita Simonyan and other top managers of the channel.

RT reported that the FBI was especially interested in former RT columnist and former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter, who was also a contributor to Sputnik until he was forced to stop due to new sanctions. The agents also asked the employee for details of the channel's financing.

https://x.com/SputnikInt/status/1833932425119813721

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
My friend and colleague, Larry Johnson, found himself in the crosshairs of the US-government funded Voice of America (VOA) (
@VOANews
), a Congressionally mandated propaganda arm of the US government.

VOA published an article written by Leonid Martynyuk (
@MartynyukLeonid
), a protege and benefactor of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the one-time Russian oligarch turned British intelligence asset.

Martynyuk is a harsh critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This is his right.

But there is no possible justification for the US government, using US taxpayer money, to allow Martynyuk access to a US government-controlled media outlet to attack an American citizen for exercising his First Amendment right of free speech.

Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice (
@CivilRights
) needs to investigate VOA and the United States Agency for Global Media (
@USAGMgov
) for violation of 18 US Code Section 241, which makes it unlawful for two or more persons to agree to injure, threaten, or intimidate a person in the United States in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States or because of his or her having exercised such a right.

This is a felony under the law.

There can be no doubt that Martynyuk, VOA, and the US Agency for Global Media, in singling out Larry Johnson, are seeking to threaten and intimidate Larry Johnson and, by extension, any American citizen who dares speak out against US policy on Russian media outlets.

Failure to do so will serve as de facto evidence of the politicization of the US Department of Justice, and be proof positive that the greatest enemy of the Constitution today in America comes in the form of those domestic entities sworn to uphold and defend it.

https://x.com/RealScottRitter/status...94661407068529

[Ravenlocke]

From RT

August 10,

Scott Ritter arrives in Moscow UNEXPECTEDLY

FBI confiscated his passport 14 months ago but last month said their ‘priorities had been changed’— Ritter, on his Substack page

'I am in Russia as a guest of the National Unity Club' to promote peace and friendship

https://x.com/RT_com/status/1954648064284574080

[Ravenlocke]

FBI Revisits Scott Ritter - This Time For a Good Reason

Full episode: https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1DXxyqWkyeNxM
@RealScottRitter
is now in Russia. Read about his trip and the confiscation & subsequent return of his passport and property at https://scottritter.substack.com/p/return-to-russia.

https://x.com/USTourofDuty/status/1954255375085277261

[Ravenlocke]

Judge Napolitano,

LIVE FROM MOSCOW: Scott Ritter in conversation with Russian Officials,


Judge Napolitano first question to the Russian government representatives sitting in on the interview with Scott Ritter is,

“What do the Russian people expect from the meeting in Alaska between president Putin and president Trump?”

https://x.com/Judgenap/status/1954953499843891741

[Bill Ryan]

Copying this post by Rizotto on the Trump's Presidency thread. Ritter's bank accounts have been closed, and his balances "zeroed out".

~~~

https://www.rt.com/news/631008-us-jo...ter-de-banked/

January 15, 2026

Scott Ritter says he was ‘de-banked’

The former US Marine Corps intelligence officer has been a vocal critic of Washington’s foreign policy

Scott Ritter, a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, RT contributor and critic of American foreign policy, has said he has been “de-banked” and that US federal authorities are likely behind his bank’s decision.

Ritter served as a UN weapons inspector in Iraq in the 1990s. He opposed the 2003 US invasion, arguing that Saddam Hussein’s government did not possess weapons of mass destruction, contrary to Washington’s now-debunked claims. He later became an independent journalist and political commentator and has cooperated with international media, including RT.

On Thursday, Ritter wrote on his website that “today my banking institution of 26 years, Citizens Bank, declared that they were ending their banking relationship with me.”

“My accounts were zeroed out without explanation,” he added.

Ritter said the move may have been a unilateral de-risking decision by Citizens Bank, but that it “does not preclude federal involvement.”

He noted that the “Northern District of New York empaneled a Grand Jury targeting me back in August 2024,” on suspicion of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. He believes federal authorities had obtained all his banking information through Grand Jury subpoenas.

“What I am beginning to suspect is that someone in the FBI, fully armed with the totality of my banking transactions… “tipped off” Citizen’s Bank about “suspicious activity” that resulted in Citizen’s Bank issuing a SAR [Suspicious Activity Report],” Ritter wrote.

Ritter said donations he received and subsequent cash withdrawals before his three trips to Russia in 2025 may have triggered the move. He added that he had carried $10,000 in cash each trip because Russia is “disconnected from the Western digital economy.”

According to Ritter, the “purpose of “de-banking” is to harass a targeted individual,” even in the absence of evidence pointing to any criminal activity.

In June 2024, Ritter’s passport was seized by the US government when he attempted to board a flight to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Several months later, FBI agents searched Ritter’s home, which he described as an “act of intimidation” for his journalistic work. Ritter said the agents accused him of working “on behalf of the Russian government,” an allegation he has denied.

[Ravenlocke]

Margarita Simonyan

One of the most principled and knowledgeable American voices Scott Ritter has been "de-banked."

Finding respectable workarounds (and euphemisms) for censorship is one of the few areas where "liberal" West has made actual progress over past three decades.

Hold strong, Scott.

https://x.com/M_Simonyan/status/2011636063199207711

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Scott Ritter

De-Banked

Today my banking institution of 26 years, Citizens Bank, declared that they were ending their banking relationship with me. My accounts were zeroed out without explanation. While I may eventually see this money returned to me, the question of why this occurred remains unanswered, raising a whole host of issues related to civil liberties.

I’ve been de-banked.
Read more: https://scottritter.substack.com/p/de-banked

https://x.com/RealScottRitter/status...78637926256742

[Ravenlocke]

Rachel Blevins

Scott Ritter DE-BANKED: The Cost of Challenging the US Establishment, Promoting PEACE with Russia |
@RealScottRitter
https://x.com/RachBlevins/status/2011905914710675742

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qrauZR620uM

[Ravenlocke]

Earl Jackson
Garland Nixon & Scott Ritter - Debanked!

YouTube -
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vhiSJXHKXE4

Rumble -
https://rumble.com/v74d5fw-warrior-u...-the-jacq.html

https://x.com/earljackson1776/status...49788892168681

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vhiSJXHKXE4

[Ravenlocke]

Helga Zepp-LaRouche

https://eir.news/2026/01/news/scott-...-is-de-banked/
Scott Ritter announced that on Jan. 14, he found, without warning, that his bank accounts had been closed.

“Today my banking institution of 26 years, Citizens Bank, declared that they were ending their banking relationship with me. My accounts were zeroed out without explanation. While I may eventually see this money returned to me, the question of why this occurred remains unanswered, raising a whole host of issues related to civil liberties.”

It is notable that this action against Ritter comes just days after his speech at the launch of Diane Sare’s presidential campaign, and after publishing a scathing attack on the policies of the “current despot [who] promised to keep America out of wars.” The parallel case of former Swiss army Colonel Jacques Baud should also be kept in mind.

Ritter writes: “The purpose of ‘de-banking’ is to harass a targeted individual. To make their life hell…. I call upon [U.S. Representative] Paul Tonko to inquire into the reason why I was ‘de-banked,’ with the specific request to find out if the Priority Response team at Citizens Bank had received any tips from federal law enforcement that prompted their investigation. I call upon Kash Patel to investigate the FBI’s National Security Division to find out what, if any, contact was made by FBI personnel and Citizens Bank regarding my financial activity, and to hold those personnel accountable who are using federal law enforcement as a means of punishing Americans for exercising their First Amendment rights.


https://x.com/ZeppLaRouche/status/2011736528204992569

[Ravenlocke]

Daily Telegraph New Zealand

US military expert and US foreign policy critic Scott Ritter says his bank closed his accounts without explanation.

https://x.com/DailyTelegraph5/status...11960799912349

[Ravenlocke]

Joe Smith SDK

Shortly after this interview the US goverment de-banked Scott Ritter removing citizenship...if you want bank you are not a US Citizen at that point. they want war and they are going to use ICE and the DHS to stop protest movements....
#Iran #ICE #DHS

https://x.com/JoeSmithSDK/status/2011868577335234646

[Tintin]

Re Scott's de-banking: yes, this has probably been enacted according to the threats that the FBI made to him way back after he resigned his UN role. In a nutshell the FBI agent (detailed in Scott's Substack article) said, without irony, that the "(FBI)..will f*ck you over for the rest of your life..". This would help to explain the false accusations of paedophiliac activity (see Craig Murray, below). He also recently wrote a piece which may not have been published for a French paper entitled, "Sanction Me, Bitch.", in French, aimed directly at Kaja Kallas; it's entirely possible that a directive could have been issued from her to take action against Scott: who knows, it just has to be possible. He has also, rightly in my view, shown strong support for Jacques Baud, former Swiss colonel who has had the temerity ( ) to have published the truth behind the Russia-Ukraine conflict citing facts, which led to his being sanctioned by the tyrannical EU.

Here's Craig's write up concerning the "sting" from August 8th, 2024:

Scott Ritter is a friend of mine. I want to take head-on the "convicted sex offender" and "paedophile" narrative.

If he were a paedophile I would not be his friend.

There was absolutely no contact with any minor - in person or online and there were absolutely no images of children or other paedophile material viewed.

After blowing the whistle on the Iraqi WMD lies of the US and UK govts, and resigning as a UN Weapons Inspector and from the US Marines, Scott was the victim of an undercover sting operation against him.

On a fantasy roleplay website, a male officer played the role of a schoolgirl in online chat with Scott. That was the "offence".

Scott is adamant the website was adults only with proof of age requirement and he knew he was not conversing with an actual schoolgirl. Under the coercive US legal system, he took a plea bargain.

If those in power were subjected to the same levels of scrutiny and harassment as dissidents, far, far worse would be revealed.

Ghislaine Maxwell is still in jail for trafficking actual minors to persons whose identities the state conspires to conceal.

[Bill Ryan]

Copying this new post by Helvetic on his thread:

~~~

Scott Ritter | FREE Speech & Me - I've been de-Banked! | Jan. 16, 2026

Source: Judge Napolitano youtube

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=XcrkoTloTn8

[bojancan]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
Copying this new post by Helvetic on his thread:

~~~

Scott Ritter | FREE Speech & Me - I've been de-Banked! | Jan. 16, 2026

Source: Judge Napolitano youtube

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=XcrkoTloTn8

I am watching those good men every day... in this situation, what happened to Scott... I am wandering... I am wondering now... what kind of Scott we shall listen, hearing and watching in the future... I hope he will continue to be Scott as we know him... I am sending his way much blessings and good wishes ...

[Ravenlocke]

Scott Ritter

Thank you to everyone who sent kind thoughts my way as I dealt with the consequences of being de-banked by Big Brother. It truly means a lot.

And I thank everyone who bought a paid subscription (https://scottritter.substack.com) or made a donation through my donation page (https://scottritter.substack.com/p/donations).

When you wake up to find your bank accounts zeroed out, it generates a feeling of helplessness I hope no one has to experience.

The kind donations made by supporters arrived in my new bank account today.

This means I am financially stable for the time being, which is a point of great relief for me and my family.

I will continue my work, seeking to inform when the government preferred silence, and pushing back when the government preferred no action.

It is what true Patriots do when the Republic they call home is under attack from the domestic enemies we swore to defend against.

I have several ongoing projects, including completion of the documentary film 38 Minutes and a planned visit to Russia in March as part of my Russia House podcast.

This is the kind of work those who facilitated my de-banking were trying to forestall.

I will not quit, but I do need your support, either in the form of a paid Substack subscription (which pays the bills) or a donation (which funds the projects), or both.

Again, I thank everyone who helped and, and who continues to help, during these troubled and difficult times.

Sincerely,

Scott Ritter

https://x.com/RealScottRitter/status...93103978188805

[Ravenlocke]

MintPress News

Former U.S. Marine intelligence officer and commentator Scott Ritter announced that he had been "de-banked" by Citizens Bank, his financial institution for 26 years.

Ritter reported that Citizens Bank terminated their relationship with him and "zeroed out" his accounts without providing a specific explanation.

He believes the action was instigated by federal authorities, specifically the FBI, whom he suspects "tipped off" the bank about "suspicious activity" to trigger a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR).

https://x.com/MintPressNews/status/2012231801037537549