Federal Prosecutors allege alleged Russian agent Mariia Butina tried to trade sex for influence

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Red-haired Red Sparrow?
An AP file photo

– News and commentary about elsewhere covered by Quincy Quarry News.

 

Federal Prosecutors allege alleged Russian agent Mariia Butina tried to trade sex for influence.

 

A “Red Sparrow” scenario was unveiled in a memorandum that laid out reasons why prosecutors believe Mariia Butina, 29, should remain jailed until her trial.

 

The gun-loving Russian woman charged with being an unregistered foreign agent and cozying up to politicians to infiltrate the U.S. political system tried to swap sex for influence, prosecutors alleged Wednesday.

 

Russian national Maria Butina has been indicted on two charges, including acting as a foreign agent https://t.co/sv3IHkb1Rt pic.twitter.com/OvygXZ4ngc

— CNN (@CNN) July 17, 2018

 

Ms. Butina, who allegedly conspired with a Russian politician and banker to push Moscow’s agenda in the United States, is due in federal court in Washington on this afternoon for a detention hearing.

 

Another Red Sparrow in work attire
A 21st Century Fox image

The judge refused her request to wear civilian clothing and forego handcuffs at her court 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 chump’s description matches that of Republican operative Paul Erickson.

 

“Q-me” pumps
A Can Stock image

“Butina appears to treat it (the relationship, ed.) as simply a necessary aspect of her activities,” the memo allege. 

 

“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.

• Update: Judge orders Butina held in custody until trial

“Red Sparrow” Butina at NRA event
A Facebook image

In previous court submissions, the  that Butina sought to establish relationships with a “gun rights organization.”

 

The organization was not named, however, a senior U.S. official confirmed it was the National Rifle Association, which – in turn – did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

 

Butina’s lawyer, prominent Washington old hand Robert Driscoll, said in a statement Tuesday that Ms. Butina is not a Russian agent and is instead but an A student at American University who has been “cooperating with various government entities for months regarding public allegations related to her contacts with various American and Russian individuals.”

 

New: By August 2016, when Maria Butina moved to the U.S. on a student visa, the FBI was watching her. by ⁦@PostRoz⁩, ⁦@thamburger⁩, me, and ⁦@CarolLeonnig⁩ https://t.co/kKb016p1ZI

— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) July 18, 2018

 

He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday’s prosecution memo, however.

 

Vlad – is it true that she knows “stuff”?
File photo image

A spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry questioned the timing of her arrest, which came shortly after President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

“It seems that somebody just got out a calculator and a watch to figure out when this decision about the arrest of Maria Butina should be taken, in order to do everything possible to derail the outcome of the summit that was held with the Russia and American presidents,” said Russian spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

 

“Everything was done to coincide with this.”

Source: Prosecutors: Russian agent Butina tried to trade sex for influence

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