Federal prosecutors are backtracking on their allegation that a Russian woman accused of working as a secret agent offered to trade sex for access, according to a Justice Department court filing.
Prosecutors had earlier accused Maria Butina, a gun rights activist in U.S. custody on charges she worked as a covert agent and tried to establish back-channel lines of communication to the Kremlin, of offering to exchange sex for a position with a special interest organization.
The salacious allegation, which immediately escalated the public interest in the case, was based on a series of text messages to and from Butina and other information that prosecutors say they had obtained.
But in a new court filing, prosecutors said they misinterpreted the messages. They said “even granting that the government’s understanding of this particular text conversation was mistaken,” there is other evidence to support keeping Butina in custody as the case against her moves forward in Washington.
Butina was arrested in July, accused of gathering intelligence on American officials and political organisations. Prosecutors say she used her contacts with the National Rifle Association and the National Prayer Breakfast to develop relationships with US politicians and gather information for Russia. They also say she used her role as a student at American University in Washington as a cover for her activities.