At least one person was charged Friday in connection with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s criminal investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to people familiar with the matter.

That person could be taken into custody as soon as Monday, these people said. The number and identity of the defendants, and the charges, couldn’t be determined.

A spokesman for Mr. Mueller, Peter Carr, declined to comment. The news of the charges, marking the first in Mr. Mueller’s investigation, was first reported by CNN on Friday.

Appointed in May, Mr. Mueller and his team of prosecutors and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents have been examining alleged Russian efforts to influence last year’s election and whether President Donald Trump’s campaign or Mr. Trump’s associates colluded with the Kremlin.

Moscow has denied seeking to influence the election, and Mr. Trump has vigorously disputed allegations of collusion. The Republican president has called Mr. Mueller’s inquiry a “witch hunt.”


Mr. Mueller is also probing the separate business dealings of former aides to Mr. Trump, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who is under investigation for alleged money laundering and tax issues, The Wall Street Journal has previously reported.

Mr. Mueller’s prosecutors have been presenting evidence before a federal grand jury in Washington.

A spokesman for Mr. Manafort declined to comment. Mr. Manafort has previously said he has done nothing wrong.

Write to Aruna Viswanatha at Aruna.Viswanatha@wsj.com and Del Quentin Wilber at del.wilber@wsj.com