A publicist who worked for Kanye West reportedly made a trip to Georgia after the 2020 presidential election to pressure an election worker into confessing to former President Trump’s unfounded claims of fraud.
According a report from Reuters on Friday, Trevian Kutti arrived at Ruby Freeman’s home on Jan. 4 and informed her that she was sent by a “high-profile individual” with an urgent message. Kutti then proceeded to tell the 62-year-old, who had served as a temporary election worker, that she needed to confirm Trump’s fraud allegations or people would descend on her home within two days and she would be jailed.
Georgia was one of multiple states won by now-President Biden where Trump has alleged widespread voting irregularities without evidence.
At the time, Freeman, who had already been accused of perpetuating fraud by Trump allies, said she had become wary of strangers and did not open her door to Kutti. Instead, she called the police and asked a male neighbor to talk with Kutti and an unidentified man she was with, according to Reuters.
When law enforcement officials came to the scene, Kutti identified herself as a “crisis manager” and informed police that Freeman “was in danger,” adding that she had “48 hours” before “unknown subjects” arrived at her home, Reuters reported.
An officer suggested that the two women meet at a police station, where a discussion was held with an officer present.
“I cannot say what specifically will take place,” Kutti was heard telling Freeman in a recording captured by the officer’s bodycam. “I just know that it will disrupt your freedom,” she said, “and the freedom of one or more of your family members.”
“You are a loose end for a party that needs to tidy up,” Kutti added, saying that “federal people” were involved in the situation.
Freeman told Reuters that she also recalled Kutti saying, “If you don’t tell everything, you’re going to jail.”
Freeman reportedly left that meeting refusing to comply.
The day after the meeting, an FBI agent contacted Freeman and warned her to leave her home due to safety concerns.
The next day, Jan. 6, the same day that a mob of Trump supports stormed the Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of the Electoral College vote, a crowd of Trump supporters arrived at her home with bullhorns, Reuters reported.
West, who in October officially changed his name to Ye, did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment through another publicist. The news service reports it is unclear if Kutti still works for him.
The rapper was a vocal supporter of Trump’s who also ran for president as a third-party candidate.
Georgia prosecutors are investigating the former president’s efforts to overturn the election results in the state, which included pressuring Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to “find” enough votes to reverse his loss.