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| Maria Butina: Alleged Russia agent 'offered sex for job' | Maria Butina: Alleged Russia agent 'offered sex for job' |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| An alleged Kremlin agent offered sex for a job with an American special interest organisation she targeted, say US officials. | 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 flight risk, a federal judge ruled, and she will be held until her trial. | Maria Butina's ties with Russian intelligence make her a flight risk, a federal judge ruled, and she will be held until her trial. |
| A lawyer for the 29-year-old said she has been co-operating with the US government for several months. | 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. | The case is not part of the US inquiry into alleged Russian election meddling. |
| Ms Butina, who was arrested on Sunday, appeared for two hours on Wednesday afternoon at a US court in Washington DC. | |
| US Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson ruled that the government had proved there are no conditions of her release that would guarantee her return to court for trial. | US Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson ruled that the government had proved there are no conditions of her release that would guarantee her return to court for trial. |
| She is facing charges of failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiring against the US government. She is not charged with espionage. | She is facing charges of failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiring against the US government. She is not charged with espionage. |
| On Wednesday, Moscow's foreign ministry said Ms Butina's arrest was designed to undermine the "positive results" of a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday. | On Wednesday, Moscow's foreign ministry said Ms Butina's arrest was designed to undermine the "positive results" of a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday. |
| What are the latest allegations? | What are the latest allegations? |
| Court filings on Wednesday say Ms Butina was living with an unnamed 56-year-old American - identified in documents as US Person 1 - with whom she had a "personal relationship". | Court filings on Wednesday say Ms Butina was living with an unnamed 56-year-old American - identified in documents as US Person 1 - with whom she had a "personal relationship". |
| Prosecutors say she described the man - who was nearly twice her age - as her boyfriend. | |
| "But this relationship does not represent a strong tie to the United States because Butina appears to treat it as simply a necessary aspect of her activities," said the court papers. | "But this relationship does not represent a strong tie to the United States because Butina appears to treat it as simply a necessary aspect of her activities," said the court papers. |
| In some of her photos on social media, Ms Butina is seen with Paul Erickson, a South Dakota-based conservative political activist who is listed in public records as being 56 years old. | In some of her photos on social media, Ms Butina is seen with Paul Erickson, a South Dakota-based conservative political activist who is listed in public records as being 56 years old. |
| She had "expressed disdain for continuing to cohabitate with" the American man, according to documents seized by the FBI, and got him to do her university homework. | |
| Prosecutors said she did not appear to take the attachment seriously because "on at least one occasion, Butina offered an individual other than US Person 1 sex in exchange for a position within a special interest organisation". | Prosecutors said she did not appear to take the attachment seriously because "on at least one occasion, Butina offered an individual other than US Person 1 sex in exchange for a position within a special interest organisation". |
| The documents do not name the organisation in question. But her social media accounts show she frequented National Rifle Association (NRA) events. | The documents do not name the organisation in question. But her social media accounts show she frequented National Rifle Association (NRA) events. |
| Ms Butina's lawyer, Robert Driscoll, has denied all the allegations. | |
| pointed to her high marks in university. | |
| 'Ready for further orders' | 'Ready for further orders' |
| The Department of Justice alleges that Ms Butina worked "under the direction and control" of a senior Russian official who is not named in charging documents. | The Department of Justice alleges that Ms Butina worked "under the direction and control" of a senior Russian official who is not named in charging documents. |
| Court papers say the Russian official acted as her handler, and coached her through online messages. | Court papers say the Russian official acted as her handler, and coached her through online messages. |
| "Right now everything has to be quiet and careful," Ms Butina allegedly wrote to her contact through a private Twitter message, a month before the 2016 presidential election. | "Right now everything has to be quiet and careful," Ms Butina allegedly wrote to her contact through a private Twitter message, a month before the 2016 presidential election. |
| On the night of the vote, court filings say she messaged the Russian official: "I'm going to sleep. It's 3 a.m. here. I am ready for further orders." | On the night of the vote, court filings say she messaged the Russian official: "I'm going to sleep. It's 3 a.m. here. I am ready for further orders." |
| During the inauguration of President Donald Trump, she shared a photo of herself attending the event at the US Capitol. | |
| "You're a daredevil girl!" her contact messaged her. | |
| "What can I say!" she replied. "Good teachers." | |
| She tried to establish "back channel" lines of communication to "penetrate the US national decision-making apparatus", the Justice Department said. | She tried to establish "back channel" lines of communication to "penetrate the US national decision-making apparatus", the Justice Department said. |
| During her time in the US, she fostered relationships with conservative pro-gun groups. | During her time in the US, she fostered relationships with conservative pro-gun groups. |
| At one point during the presidential election, she and the Russian official allegedly tried unsuccessfully to broker a meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Putin. | At one point during the presidential election, she and the Russian official allegedly tried unsuccessfully to broker a meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Putin. |
| At a town hall meeting in July 2015, she asked then-candidate Donald Trump about his views on Russia. The following year she met his son, Donald Trump Jr, at an NRA convention. | At a town hall meeting in July 2015, she asked then-candidate Donald Trump about his views on Russia. The following year she met his son, Donald Trump Jr, at an NRA convention. |
| Ms Butina's Facebook page includes pictures of her attending events where she met other well-known American politicians, including Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. | Ms Butina's Facebook page includes pictures of her attending events where she met other well-known American politicians, including Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. |
| What's her background? | What's her background? |
| She entered the US in August 2016 on an F-1 student visa. According to her LinkedIn page, she recently completed a masters degree in international relations from American University in Washington DC. | She entered the US in August 2016 on an F-1 student visa. According to her LinkedIn page, she recently completed a masters degree in international relations from American University in Washington DC. |
| Those who encountered Ms Butina said she was a gregarious networker whose life story appealed to conservatives she met at events around the US. | Those who encountered Ms Butina said she was a gregarious networker whose life story appealed to conservatives she met at events around the US. |
| In 2015 she told a US radio show that she grew up in the woods of Siberia, and was taught to hunt by her father. | In 2015 she told a US radio show that she grew up in the woods of Siberia, and was taught to hunt by her father. |
| After a brief career as the owner of a chain of furniture stores, she said she moved to Moscow where she founded a group called the Right to Bear Arms, which advocated for private gun ownership in Russia. | After a brief career as the owner of a chain of furniture stores, she said she moved to Moscow where she founded a group called the Right to Bear Arms, which advocated for private gun ownership in Russia. |
| Who was her alleged handler? | Who was her alleged handler? |
| According to US media, the Russian official appears to be Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's Central Bank and a well-connected ex-Russian senator from President Putin's political party. | According to US media, the Russian official appears to be Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's Central Bank and a well-connected ex-Russian senator from President Putin's political party. |
| He was targeted by US Department of Treasury sanctions in April. | He was targeted by US Department of Treasury sanctions in April. |
| Ms Butina posted several photos to her social media accounts over the past few years showing her with Mr Torshin. | Ms Butina posted several photos to her social media accounts over the past few years showing her with Mr Torshin. |
| On her visa application, Ms Butina said she had previously been employed as special assistant to Mr Torshin. | On her visa application, Ms Butina said she had previously been employed as special assistant to Mr Torshin. |
| In one online conversation with her contact, presumed to be Mr Torshin, the official likened her to Anna Chapman, the red-haired Russian agent who was convicted in the US in 2010 and was later sent back to Russia as part of a prisoner swap. | |
| "Are your admirers asking for your autographs yet? You have upstaged Anna Chapman," her handler wrote. | |
| "She poses with toy pistols, while you are being published with real ones." | |
| Sources tell US media that the fact that Mr Torshin was not charged is a sign investigators are working to secure her co-operation against him and possibly other Russian officials. | Sources tell US media that the fact that Mr Torshin was not charged is a sign investigators are working to secure her co-operation against him and possibly other Russian officials. |
| When asked about the arrest at a news briefing on Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: "We're looking at that but this is a lengthy process." |