WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal authorities have arrested a Russian woman accused of conspiring to infiltrate American political organizations, including a gun-rights group, at the direction of a senior Kremlin official.
That’s according to court papers unsealed Monday in Washington. Maria Butina was arrested Sunday on a charge of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of the Russian government.
Court papers say Butina worked on behalf of an unnamed Russian official to influence senior U.S. politicians and develop relationships with other political organizations between 2015 and 2017.
Prosecutors say the Russian official has since been sanctioned by the U.S.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.