MARIIA BUTINA, Accused Russian Agent Tried To Trade Sex For Influence, 'Flight Risk,' NBC, BBC
The gun-loving Russian woman charged with being an unregistered foreign agent who cozied up to politicians to infiltrate the U.S. political system tried to swap sex for influence, prosecutors alleged Wednesday. The "Red Sparrow" scenario was unveiled in a memorandum that laid out reasons why prosecutors believe Mariia Butina, 29, should remain jailed until trial.
Butina, who allegedly conspired with a Russian politician and banker to push Moscow's agenda in the U.S., is due in federal court in Washington on Wednesday afternoon for a detention hearing. In arguing that Butina is a flight risk, prosecutors said her only tie to the U.S. is a "personal relationship" with an unidentified man — which is branded "duplicitous," suggesting she was using him for her own means.
According to the Washington Post, the man’s description matches that of Republican operative Paul Erickson. "Butina appears to treat it as simply a necessary aspect of her activities," the memo says. "For example, on at least one occasion, Butina offered an individual other than U.S. Person 1 sex in exchange for a position within a special interest organization. Further, in papers seized by the FBI, Butina complained about living with U.S. Person 1 and expressed disdain for continuing to cohabitate with U.S. Person 1."...More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/accused-russian-agent-mariia-butina-tried-to-trade-sex-for-influence-say-prosecutors/ar-AAAfWYh?li=BBnb7Kz
Prosecutors also said in Wednesday's memo that Butina should be kept behind bars because the Russian official, identified by sources as Aleksandr Torshin, considered her a covert agent and even compared her with a fellow redhead, flame-haired Russian spy Anna Chapman. Government officials stated that days before her arrest, Butina appeared to be planning to leave Washington and possibly the country, including a trip to U-Haul with her American lover and wiring $3,500 funds into an account in Washington.
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- BBC, 'Maria Butina: Alleged Russia Agent 'Offered Sex For Job', July 18, 2018. An alleged Kremlin agent offered sex for a job with an American special interest organisation she targeted, say US officials. Maria Butina's ties with Russian intelligence make her a "grave" flight risk, US officials say, and she should not be bailed before trial. A lawyer for the 29-year-old said she has been co-operating with the US government for several months. The case is not part of the US inquiry into alleged Russian election meddling...https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44865626
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