A 29-year-old Russian woman has been arrested for conspiring to influence US politics by cultivating ties with political groups including the gun rights lobby the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Mariia Butina was arrested in Washington on Saturday and appeared in court on Monday, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Butina was charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of Russia “by developing relationships with US persons and infiltrating organizations having influence in American politics,” the statement said.
