An explosive 35-page memo on Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, which contains unverified allegations and which Trump called a "complete fabrication," was written by a former British intelligence officer working for Orbis Business Intelligence, Ltd., two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Separately, Rohit Kachroo, security editor for NBC News British partner ITV News, reported that his name is Christopher David Steele, a former officer with MI6 who was posted to Moscow in 1990.
The memo was originally generated on behalf of Republican opponents of Trump but was later shopped to the media by Democrats.
Orbis director Christopher Burrows told the Wall Street Journal he wouldn't "confirm or deny" that Orbis had produced the report, and a neighbor of Steele's told the newspaper Steele would be away for a few days.
