AO

9l (Rrv. 0&09) Crifria.l Corplairt

UNmpp Srerss DIsrrucr Counr
for the

Disaict of Columbia
United States of America

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)
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)

Mariia Butina
also knorm as Maria Butina

t:-

Case No.

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D.l.tdo,t('/

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
I, the complainant in this case, stale that tle following is true to the best of my knowledge
On or about the dat{s)

of

District

2015 and Feb- 20 1 7

of

Columbia

Code Seaion
18 U.S.C. S 371

This criminal complaint is based

, tlrc

in the county

od belief.

of

in rhe

defendan(s) violated:

afense Description
Compiracy

See Appendix A, which 'ts incorporated horein'

o!

thcse facts:

SEE ATTACHED AFFIDAVIT

d

Continued on tle attached sheet.

/71.
's

ip?wlure

Aoent

Kevin Helson.

Ptinted rame arrd tille

Swom to beforc me and signed in my presence.

Date:

07 t1

18
's

City and state:

signahte

A. Robinson, U.S. Maoistrate

P

ntcd none and title

 IN THET'NITED STATES DIS'fzuCT COURT
FOR T}MDISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION
FOR CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FOR

Case No.

MARUA BUTINA ALSO KNOWN AS
MARI,ABUTINA

APPENDX A TO CRIMINAL COMPL{NT
CotrsPiracY to Act aa an Agent of a Foreign Government
I

.

From in or around 20 I 5 and possibly earlier, up to and including the prcsent, in the District

of Columbia and

elsewhere,

MARtrA BUTINA, a/k/a "Maria Butina" ('BUTNA'),

defendant, and others known and unknown, including an official

of the

the

Russian Fedcration,

knowingly did oombine, conspire, confederate, and agree together and with each other to commit
an offense against thc United States, to

ofTitle l& United

wit, Titte 18, United States Code, Section 951, in violation

States Code, Section 371.

Obiec& of tte Conspiracy

2.

The objects ofthe conspiracy were:

a.

To act in the United States as an agent of a foreign govemmcn! specificelly the
Russian Federation, without prior notification to the Attomey General;

b. To act il the United

Stales as an agent

of a foreig

govemment official,

specifically an official ofthe Russian Federation, without prior notffication to

tle

AttomeY General;

c.

To exploit personal oonnectioos with U.S. persons having influence in American

politics in an effort to advance the intcr€sts of the Russian Federation without
prior notification to the Attorney General; and

 d.

To infiltrau organizations active in U.S. politics in an effort to advance the
intsrcsts of the Russian Federation without prior notification to the Attomey
General.

Manner eud Meatrt of thc Conspiracy

3.

BUTINA and her coconspirator(s) would and did

use the

following manner and means,

among others, to accomplish thc objects ofthe conspiracy:

a.

While serving as Special Assistant to an official of the Russian Federation,
BUTINA would mest in P€rson and communicate via electronic means with that
olficial for the purpose of developing and executing a plsn to identiff and exploit
personal connections with U'S. persons having influence in American politics who
were in positions to advance the interests ofthe Russian Federation.

b.

BUTINA did establish contsot with an American political opcrative in Moscow
who thereafter would work with BUTINA ia lhe United Sates to jointly arrange
introductions to U.S. persons having influence in American politics for thc purPose

ofadvancing the agenda ofthe Russian Federation.

c.

Wlrilc teiding in the United States, BUTINA would work on behalf of the official

of the Russian

Federation

by

attempting

to

esablish unofficial lines of

communications with U.S. politiciaris and political organizations'

d.

BUTINA would communicate via email, Twiuer direct me*sage, and other means

with the official of the Russian Federation, urd others, to seod reports, seck
direotion, and receive orders in furtheranoe ofthe conspiracy.

Overl Acts

4.

In fur0rerancc ofthis conspiracy and to effect the illegal objects thereof' one or more

 conspirators committed the following overt acts, among othcrs:

a.

On or about March 14, 2016, BU'flNA emailed a U.S' person in an effort to
develop, maintain, and exploit a relationship in furtherance ofthe conspiracy;

b.

ln or around August 2016,.BUTINA cntered the United States on an F-l Student
Visa, for the purported purpose of attending university full time in the District
Columbia' when in truth and in fact, BUTINA continued to act

as an agent on

of

b€half

of the Russian Federation and the official ofthe Russian Federation; and

c.

On or about Seplember 26, 2016, BUTINA emailed a U.S. person to organizc 8n
event for the purpose ofinfluencing the views of U.S. officials, as thoso views relate

to the Russian Federation.