Maria Butina, the Russian woman who used her interest in gun rights and her connections with members of the Republican Party to try to gain influence in the highest reaches of the U.S. government, reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors Thursday to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to act as a Russian agent in the U.S.
Part of that deal includes an agreement to cooperate with prosecutors on other matters, according to court documents released Thursday.
Butina, who faces a maximum of five years in prison, entered the plea which acknowledged that she failed to register with the Justice Department as a Russian agent as is required by U.S. law.
Prosecutors allege she tried to make contacts in the US at the direction of both a “Russian official” and at least one other person. Alexander Torshin, a Russian politician, is believed to be that Russian official.
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