Russian female citizen accused of espionage by the US
On July 17, the US Department of Justice said a US grand jury had unanimously charged Russian citizen Maria Butina with espionage.
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| A US grand jury has unanimously charged Russian citizen Maria Butina with espionage, the US Justice Department said. Photo: independent.co.uk |
Maria Butina, who studied at American University in Washington and is the founder of a pro-gun group called Right to Bear Arms, was arrested on July 15 and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Washington, DC, on July 18.
According to the indictment announced by the Grand Jury, Maria Butina is accused of many serious crimes related to espionage activities and could face a maximum prison sentence of up to 10 years.
On the same day, the Russian Embassy in the US asked Washington to grant Ms. Butina consular access. Attorney Robert Driscoll, who represents Ms. Butina, asserted that his client is not a Russian spy.