Maria Butina complained that she had to sleep. Not just Maria: how did Maria Butina live and what did she do before her arrest in the USA? Career and social activities

Maria Valerievna Butina. Born on November 10, 1988 in Barnaul. Russian political scientist, public figure, founder and board member of the public organization “Right to Arms”.

During my school years I was involved in sports - volleyball, swimming, pistol shooting, and clay pigeon shooting. She played chess well.

She showed herself as a social activist. In 2005-2008, Butina took part in election campaigns for the Barnaul City Duma and the Altai Regional Council of Deputies as the head of the field service.

In 2008, she was elected a member of the Public Chamber of the Altai Territory from the Altai Regional Public Youth Organization “Altai State University Students’ League”.

She graduated with honors from Altai State University (Altai State University) with a degree in Political Science. Has additional education with the qualification “Teacher”.

In 2011, she entered graduate school at Altai State University with a degree in “Political Processes, Institutions and Technologies.” Sphere of scientific interests - “Problem movements as a current phenomenon in modern Russia.”

In the same 2011, Maria entered the “national primaries”, winning the project “Youth primaries of the Young Guard of United Russia”.

Founder and board member of a public organization "Right to Arms". She actively spoke in the media, promoting the idea of ​​free gun ownership. She became known as a defender of the interests of law-abiding owners of civilian weapons.

In June 2015, Maria Butina wrote a column for the American magazine National Interest entitled “The bear and the elephant” (Rus: “Bear and Elephant”). The material was about how a Republican president would help improve relations with Russia.

In July 2015, Butina managed to ask a question at one of his meetings with voters. She asked about relations with Russia, to which she received one of the first answers from the future US president - that he would get along with.

Since 2016, Maria Butina has been living in the United States on an F-1 student visa. She graduated from the American University in Washington with a master's degree in international relations.

In 2017, Butina, as part of the Russian delegation, attended the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, during which the American president traditionally speaks. She attended as a representative of the public organization “Right to Arms”.

In the United States, she positioned herself as a champion of gun rights and built close relationships with the National Rifle Association (NRA) on behalf of Russia.

Charges against Maria Butina in the USA

On July 15, 2018, Maria Butina was arrested in the United States on suspicion of working as an “agent of a foreign state.” She was accused of trying to “develop connections with individuals in the United States and infiltrate organizations with influence on American politics.”

But the arrest became known later - on the day.

According to investigators, Butina acted on the orders of the deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank, Alexander Torshin, who came under US sanctions (when he was a member of the Federation Council from the Republic of Mari El) - the Russian woman was called his assistant on special assignments. At the same time, the name of the official is not mentioned in the papers received by the court.

In August 2016, Bloomberg, citing a Spanish police report, accused Torshin of having connections with the Taganskaya organized crime group. Law enforcement officers believed that Torshin gave instructions to members of the group on money laundering through banks and real estate in Spain. The agency noted that the leader of the organized crime group, Alexander Romanov, called Torshin his “godfather” or “boss.” The Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia denied all accusations.

Torshin's alleged connection to the NRA through Butina has been touted as evidence of President Donald Trump's "collusion" with Russia on the grounds that the NRA supports Republicans and Trump.

According to the investigation, as part of her illegal activities from the point of view of American law, Butina tried at least twice to organize a secret meeting between Trump and Putin during the 2016 presidential campaign. The News York Times wrote: "The charges unsealed Monday do not name Trump, but they make it clear that Butina's attempts to make connections were part of a carefully orchestrated Russian intelligence operation." The Russian woman was not successful in organizing a meeting between Putin and Trump, but she still managed to achieve something: “Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, still met with Torshin and Butina at a dinner sponsored by N.R.A., although Trump’s lawyer called this meeting short-lived."

As The Washington Post reported, in April 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a search of the Russian woman’s residence, and several months before her arrest, she was questioned by the US Senate Intelligence Committee.

The Russian woman’s lawyer, Robert Driscolla, denied all accusations against her ward: “Maria Butina is not an agent of the Russian Federation.”

Later, a grand jury in the United States indicted Russian woman Maria Butina for working as a foreign agent without proper registration. This charge is more serious than the first - for unauthorized work as a foreign agent, the Russian woman faces up to 10 years in prison, and for conspiracy - up to five years in prison.

On December 13, 2018, it became known that Maria Butina agreed to make a deal with the investigation and refused to conduct a trial. Butina stated in court that she admits her guilt in participating in a conspiracy against the United States, and also said that she acted under the direction of a Russian official. Butina pleaded guilty in court to one of the charges, which relates to conspiracy to violate laws on foreign agents in the United States.

Personal life of Maria Butina:

She was married (according to some sources, she is still married) and has a child. The husband is a political activist and was a member of the NBP.

According to documents from the US Department of Justice, Butina was in a relationship with a fifty-six-year-old American; Western media claim that this is Republican political scientist Paul Erickson. Through him, she obtained contacts of other American politicians. The FBI discovered letters and SMS messages from Butina, in which she regularly asked Erickson to do her homework assigned at the university, edit her coursework, and give answers to exam questions. From these facts, the prosecutor's office concluded that Butina studied at the graduate school of the American University in Washington fictitiously, with outside help, apparently to cover up her true activities, and at that time “continued to work for the Russian government.” In letters to other persons seized by the FBI, Butina expresses dissatisfaction that she has to have a hateful relationship with Erickson, and speaks with contempt about further “cohabitation” with him.

According to the FBI, "On at least one occasion, Butina offered sex to a person in exchange for a position in the organization." However, the lawyer doubted the reliability of these accusations, clarifying that at the time of their publication the prosecution had not provided evidence. Subsequently, the US Attorney's Office officially admitted that it made a mistake and incorrectly interpreted Butina's correspondence.

Loves classical music, enjoys reading and cinema.

Fluent in English and some German.

How the deputy chairman of the Central Bank of Russia Torshin sent an assistant to Trump’s headquarters and what he did in the Taganskaya organized crime group.

On July 15, Maria Butina, assistant to the deputy chairman of the Central Bank of Russia and ex-senator Alexander Torshin, was arrested in the United States. On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted her on charges of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent (up to 15 years in prison). As follows from the FBI indictment, she and Torshin received approval from a representative of the “administration of the President of Russia” for their project to establish a shadow channel of communication between the Kremlin and the Republicans. The contact was established through the NRA, and perhaps, as investigators are now finding out, Russia also financed the Trump campaign through it.

This plot looks especially fascinating in light of the fact that in the process of “establishing contact with the Republicans,” Torshin miraculously avoided arrest in Spain for money laundering by the Taganskaya criminal group. From the Spanish investigation, The Insider learned many interesting details about Torshin’s activities in the Taganskaya organized crime group and invites readers to familiarize themselves with the most striking episodes of this story.

Chronicle of infiltration into Trump's team

During the US presidential election, the largest donor of gray money (that is, funds of unknown origin) was the NRA (The National Rifle Association), which spent $33 million from “independent donations.” This is three times more than during the previous campaign, when Mitt Romney was elected. It was the NRA that became the main instrument for bringing Torshin and Butina closer to the Trump headquarters. The pair's infiltration of the NRA became quite a fascinating plot. Here is a brief chronology of it.

In 2011, lawyer Klein Preston introduced Torshin to David Keene, then head of the NRA. That same year, Preston came to observe the Russian parliamentary elections and concluded that they were completely fair. In 2012, on the contrary, Torshin came to observe the American elections and “found violations” - campaigning too close to polling stations. Then he visited the NRA headquarters in Washington:

In May 2013, Torshin attended the NRA convention, where future Republican presidential candidates Rick Perry, Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum spoke. That same year, NRA President David Keene flew to a conference organized by the Gun Rights movement, led by Torshin's assistant Maria Butina.

Butina and presidential candidate Rick Santorum

Most of the information about how Torshin established the Kremlin’s connection with the Republicans is based precisely on data obtained during surveillance of Butina. The affidavit in support of the criminal charges against Butina, signed by FBI Special Agent Kevin Helson and published on the US Department of Justice website, states that its data is based on the results of searches in two premises, operational surveillance, as well as on the study of documents (including electronic documents). ), found on Butina’s computer and smartphone.

In 2014, Butina brought Paul Erickson, an NRA and Republican Party functionary, to speak in Moscow. Erickson, 56, would become Butina's 29-year-old boyfriend and introduce her to many other important Republicans and NRA members. But, as the FBI notes, cohabitation with Erickson was more of a business necessity for her, since, for example, she offered to sleep with some other functionary (the FBI does not name him) in exchange for a position in the organization (most likely, we are also talking about the NRA). The FBI also notes that in one of the letters she complains about having to live with Erickson and speaks contemptuously about him.

Butina and her partner Paul Erickson in 2013

It is curious that during this period of her life, Butina still positioned herself as an activist fighting for the legalization of weapons in Russia, and on this basis she communicated a lot with other activists and oppositionists. Navalny even proposed nominating her to the Public Chamber (like Butina, Navalny advocates the free carrying of weapons). Apparently, in this regard, her activities received the attention of the Presidential Administration - Deputy Head of the Administration of Internal Policy Timur Prokopenko (as follows from his hacked correspondence) instructed Kristina Potupchik to write an exposing post about Butina.

In 2015, Putin appointed Torshin deputy chairman of the Central Bank. That same year, Torshin sponsored the visit of senior NRA officials to Moscow, as well as Fox News journalist David Clarke, who met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Dmitry Rogozin, then Deputy Prime Minister. The official organizer was the same organization “Right to Arms” by Maria Butina.

Also in 2015, Butina entered the master's program at the American University in Washington. As follows from correspondence intercepted by the FBI between Butina and Erickson, enrolling in a master’s program was only a pretext for obtaining a student visa. From the same correspondence it follows that Butina constantly turned to Erickson with a request to help her complete school assignments and answer exam questions. However, she still went to classes.

Butina and NRA head Wayne LaPierre

On March 24, 2015, Butina wrote a letter to Erickson with the subject “Posner number two” (probably an allusion to Vladimir Pozner, who, while working for the State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, conveyed Soviet ideas about reality to American audiences). A file with the project was attached to the letter. The original document was in Russian, and Butina is forwarding Google's translation to save time. Apparently, the project itself is intended for someone who does not speak English. Butina asks the American for advice before sending the final version to someone.

The draft states that the US elections are likely to be won by Republicans, and that despite the fact that they are known for their traditionally aggressive foreign policy, especially towards Russia, the elections are nevertheless a good occasion for dialogue in order to achieve constructive relations with Russia . Butina indicates in this letter that she attends NRA events. That in the United States she is already being introduced to her interlocutors as “a representative of Russia’s informal diplomacy.” Butina even has a project budget - $125 thousand for further participation in all Republican conferences that will take place before the elections.

In February 2016, Butina and Erickson opened a joint company, Bridges, LLC. Erickson will then answer journalists that the company was created to pay for Butina’s master’s degree in the USA, which does not sound very plausible. Then, in February, Torshin published a tweet:

In one of the letters, Butina reported that they had received approval from a representative of the Russian presidential administration for their “Russian-American project.” “All we needed was Putin’s approval. The rest is easier,” she noted. Butina even began preparing for Putin himself to attend the next “prayer breakfast” in 2017. According to her, Torshin invited Putin to the next breakfast, and Putin did not say no. Butina stated the conditions under which Putin could appear: the participation of other heads of state, a personal invitation from the US President. The breakfast organizer told her that in any case, 10 places at the breakfast were reserved for her for 2017.

“All we needed was Putin’s approval. The rest is easier"

In May 2016, Torshin hoped to meet with Trump at the NRA's annual convention in Louisville, but he was only able to secure a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. In one of his letters from that period, Torshin wrote that he was able to establish a secret channel of communication between the Kremlin and Republican leaders through the NRA.

On June 9, 2016 (by a strange coincidence, the same day as the famous meeting between Veselnitskaya and Trump campaign staff), American conservative activist Rick Clay sent a letter to Trump aide Rick Dearborn, asking on behalf of Torshin for an informal meeting with Trump in order to discuss “shared Christian values.” The subject of the letter was “connections with the Kremlin”). The Trump campaign then canceled the meeting.

A month later, Butina still managed to communicate with Trump: during the libertarian FreedomFest event in Las Vegas, she asked him a question about lifting sanctions against Russia (Trump replied that under him relations with Putin would improve):

In November 2016, Butina no longer hid at all that she was participating in the Trump campaign, being responsible for relations with Russia - she spoke about this, for example, at a costume party in honor of her birthday, where she appeared in the guise of Empress Alexandra Fedorovna (while her partner, Paul Erickson, came to the party, of course, in the guise of Rasputin, declaring that he was part of the Trump transition team). Svetlana Savranskaya, Butina’s former teacher at American University, said that Butina repeatedly spoke in class about her work for Trump’s team.

In February 2017, Torshin took part in a prayer breakfast at the White House as part of the Russian delegation. According to Butina, Torshin was supposed to meet with Trump, but the meeting was canceled at the last minute (instead, Torshin met with Republican congressmen Dayna Rohrabaker and Tom Massey). According to Glenn Simpson, head of Fusion GPS, the meeting with Trump did not take place because one of his advisers drew attention to dark spots in Torshin’s biography (more about Torshin’s mafia connections below).

In July 2018, Butina began transferring her funds to Russian accounts. When the FBI came to arrest her, her belongings were already partially packed, and a note to the landlord was found in the apartment stating that the apartment's lease would end until July 31. It is not yet clear whether she intended to return to Russia or move to Erickson in South Dakota.

Connections with Russian intelligence services and oligarchs

According to the FBI, Butina had close ties to Russian intelligence agencies. Firstly, contact details of four FSB officers were found in her documents. Secondly, during surveillance, FBI officers witnessed a meeting between Butina and a Russian intelligence officer working under the guise of a diplomat. The meeting took place a few weeks before his expulsion from the United States in March 2018 (a total of 60 Russian diplomats were expelled from the United States at that time in response to the poisoning of the Skripals in the UK).

Meeting with a representative of Russian intelligence services

Torshin himself in correspondence compared Butina with the spy Anna Chapman - after the first publications about Butina’s activities appeared in the American press - to which she replied: “It’s interesting that only our liberal media translated the article.<...>Perhaps it was our people who stood up for me.” Torshin replied that, they say, what else can you expect from the liberals, to which Butina said: “What’s important is that it’s clear that there is an order not to touch us. I think this is a good sign." Torshin: “For now, yes, but if something changes, we are guaranteed to be included in the list of agents of influence.” Butina: “I would keep a low profile for now. For a while. You're probably in trouble because of this stupid leak? Sorry..."

The FBI also discovered Butina's connections to Russian oligarchs, including an unnamed billionaire whom she referred to as a "sponsor" and with whom she corresponded via private messages on Twitter. Judging by the description, we may be talking about Gleb Fetisov, who worked with Torshin on the same committee in the Federation Council and has a Twitter account (Fetisov was previously involved in one of The Insider’s investigations), the deputy director of Transparency International-Russia suggested in his Telegram channel Ilya Shumanov. Fetisov's representative denied this, saying that he is under investigation in Russia and cannot travel to the United States. To finance her trip to the United States, Butina turned to another Russian businessman, whose name is not mentioned.

"They called him the godfather." How is Torshin connected with the Taganskaya organized crime group and the FSB?

During the investigation of the Butina case, the FBI requested information about Torshin from Spanish law enforcement agencies. On August 21, 2013 - when the operation to infiltrate Butina into the NRA was just being planned - Torshin was supposed to fly to Mallorca for the birthday of his friend and ally Alexander Romanov. Spanish police were already waiting for him at the hotel and at the airport to arrest him in the case of money laundering by the Taganskaya criminal group. However, at the last moment Torshin changed his mind about flying. The Spanish police are confident that Torshin was warned by the Russian prosecutor's office, to which the Spaniards sent inquiries about Torshin and the Taganskaya organized crime group.

Romanov was nevertheless detained in December 2013 and sentenced to 3 years 9 months for money laundering and forgery of documents, and was also sentenced to a fine of €4.244 million (with a verdict of the Regional Court of the Balearic Islands, Spain, dated May 26, 2016, reviewed by The Insider). His wife Natalya Vinogradova was sentenced to 22 months in prison. The court considered the episode of laundering money from the raider seizure by investing it in the purchase of the Mar y Pins hotel in Palma de Mallorca under the guise of a fictitious “loan” as proven. The hotel was eventually confiscated to the state and sold at auction in 2017 after the verdict came into force.

Romanov met Torshin back in 1995, when he worked at the Central Bank - Deputy Chairman Torshin was his boss. Torshin states that he has only personal, but not business relations with Romanov. Spanish investigators don't think so.

“Apparently, Romanov is used as an intermediary between Torshin and the leader of the Taganskaya criminal organization, Igor Zhirnokleev,” says one of the investigative documents in Spain, which The Insider reviewed. In total, there are about a dozen investigative documents that mention Torshin directly. Among them is Torshin’s personal card, opened by the Civil Guard (photo, phone number, affiliation with an organized crime group, connections). 12 pages of specific charges against Torshin, a file of transcripts of intercepted telephone conversations between Torshin himself and Romanov, or between Romanov and other defendants in the case, where they discuss the guidelines of “Porfiryevich,” as well as documents related to the Taganskaya organized crime group and the criminal case of Alexander Romanov.

From Romanov's intercepted conversations, which The Insider reviewed, it becomes clear who was in charge of the operations. Romanov called Alexander Torshin “Porfiryevich”, “chief”, “godfather”. The latter, however, is explained not by his mafia status, but by the fact that Torshin is the godfather of Romanov’s son. On March 19, 2013, Romanov told the local manager in Mallorca, Alexander Alexandridis (also convicted in his case), that he had received an order from “Porfirievich” to find and buy a suitable hotel. Alexandridis says that Torshin is a senator and cannot buy a hotel in his own name. Romanov is surprised in response: “There are adult children and grandchildren.” They agree that Torshin's name should not appear anywhere.

“Porfirievich will arrive in two months and wants to see him in person,” Romanov declares to his colleague and asks him to prepare what is available in Mallorca. Subsequently, they discuss the price - €13 million. Having agreed on the price, Romanov tells Alexandridis that “his godfather called and showed interest, but only if the hotel has no debts.” When the hotel was purchased by the company of Romanov and his wife Natali Mar y Pins, Romanov stated in one of the telephone conversations that he would nevertheless take care of some “guarantees for Porfirievich” (it is not clear from the context what is meant, but probably a blind trust was planned above the company, which investigators were unable to find).

The Taganskaya organized crime group was formed back in the late 80s and was based in the center of Moscow, having at its disposal about a hundred “bayonets”. She made her initial capital by stealing cars and supplying drugs, then began to protect businessmen. In the 2000s, the group's main activity became raider attacks.

The group managed to squeeze out such enterprises as Kristall, TPK Kvant, LB Ikalto in Kaliningrad and the Moscow department store. During the raider attacks, Romanov was even arrested in 2005 in Moscow, and at that time other people acted on behalf of the group. Romanov was sentenced to three years in prison for fraud, but was quickly released on parole. In 2010 he left for Spain, where he created several companies that received fictitious loans - in other words, they laundered the Tagansky money.

On February 21, 2013, Romanov informs “Porfiryevich” that he will try to send a note through him, which will indicate “where to transfer and how.” Romanov says that “until he solves their common problems, he will not calm down.” The Spanish investigation suggests that we are talking about money from the seizure of the Moscow department store by the Afghan company, the beneficiaries of which were Romanov (he eventually transferred €1.6 million received from this scam to Spain), as well as Grigory Rabinovich and Igor Zhirnokleyev are other leaders of the Taganskys.

How Moscow was captured

On April 6, 2011, a group of 20 people armed with batons and traumatic weapons entered the building of the Moscow department store on Leninsky Prospekt. One of those who entered shot several times at the ceiling. Before the police arrived, a fight broke out in the store between the security officers and the people who came, after which three people were hospitalized. One of the people who came to the store identified himself as the manager of the Moscow company and explained that he was the new head of the department store. This public part of the story became part of the long struggle for the department store, which was waged by the Taganskaya organized crime group. Torshin took an active part in it.

In fact, the high-profile shooting episode of 2011 was just part of a decades-long struggle for the first Soviet department store, opened in 1963 as an experimental store where Western retail technologies were introduced and adapted to the Soviet consumer. In the 2000s, the department store experienced several raider takeovers and redistribution of property. It all started in 2003 with a conflict between the general director of the store, Dmitry Ulyanitsky, and the holder of 82.2% of the department store’s shares, Igor Zakharov.

Zakharov then dismissed Ulyanitsky, but the latter, with the help of the court, was able to oust his opponents from the department store and retake his seat. In 2005, the actual owner of 80% of the shares of the department store was the GIGroup company of Grigory Rabinovich, one of the leaders of the Taganskaya organized crime group. Initially, the company was attracted as an investor for the reconstruction of the department store, and soon the annual meeting of shareholders decided to include Rabinovich himself, as well as his representatives, on the board of directors of Moscow. In September 2006, Rabinovich was put on the federal wanted list in a criminal case regarding the raider seizure of the Moscow Kristall plant.

Grigory Rabinovich, one of the leaders of the Taganskaya organized crime group

As Ulyanitsky said in an interview with Novaya Gazeta in 2007, when the time came to pay off the department store’s debts, Rabinovich had no money. The owner of GIGroup spent funds earmarked for reconstruction to cover the group's old debts. Ulyanitsky, who at that time owned 10% of the shares, bought out the company’s additional issue and became the main owner of Moskva, increasing his stake to 95%. In response to this, Rabinovich attempted to seize the department store building by force. In October 2008, law enforcement agencies conducted searches and seized accounting documents at the Moscow department store. Ulyanitsky was detained at the airport, from where he was trying to fly abroad. Based on Rabinovich’s statement, a criminal case was opened against Ulyanitsky.

In October 2009, the deputy head of the department store’s legal department, Andrei Bralyuk, was beaten near his home: he was taken to the hospital in serious condition and died a few months later. In August of the same year, an attempt was made on the life of another department store legal consultant, Marina Efremova: her car was shot at with firearms, but the woman miraculously survived.

In 2010, the period of final trials began between the Ulyanitsky and Taganskaya organized crime groups. And then Torshin helped the last ones.

On March 4, 2011, Alexander Torshin sent a letter on the official letterhead of the First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council to Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika with a request to look into this conflict. Chaika “figured it out,” and the prosecutor’s office ruled against Ulyanitsky. After which Torshin, through his representative Alexander Romanov, began withdrawing money abroad. This scheme, according to the Spanish investigation, was worked out even after the seizure of the Kristall plant:

“Alexander Torshin is actively involved in transferring money from Russia to Spain through Alexander Romanov. To do this, he developed a method for distributing money from the raider takeover of the Kristall distillery in 2004-2005. More specifically, during these years Alexander Romanov illegally withdraws 108.5 million rubles. (€ 2,715 million) from this company through TPK Kvant."

According to the Spanish investigation, Romanov coordinated the distribution of funds at personal meetings with Torshin, as well as two leaders of the Taganskaya organized crime group - Grigory Rabinovich and Igor Zhirnokleev. Banker Ilya Gavrilov also took part. Moreover, the FBI suspected Rabinovich of money laundering in the United States in favor of Yaponchik (Vyacheslav Ivankov), who was later killed in Moscow. A criminal case No. 12814006109 is currently open against Rabinovich in Latvia, as noted in one of the documents of the Spanish investigation into the Romanov case.

The findings of Spanish investigators are supported by numerous documents, including intercepted telephone conversations and emails (available to The Insider).

From the wiretaps it follows, for example, that Romanov rented out seized premises in Moscow and also transferred part of the income to Spain. Thus, in a conversation dated June 21, 2012 (interlocutor unknown), Romanov is indignant that the Elki-Palki restaurant pays a “non-market price.” He is going to double the rent or kick out the landlords, despite their pre-emptive right to rent, and if they do not agree, he will turn to his godfather for help.

It can also be concluded from the wiretaps that Torshin helped the group with contacts with security forces. So, for example, according to the Spanish investigation, after the raider seizure of LB Ikalto, a group of Russian security forces led by a certain Anton arrested the husband of the company’s owner, Liliya Basten, along with a group of Chechens, since they were creating problems for the Taganskaya organized crime group.

On June 20, 2013, Romanov called Zhirnokleev (one of the leaders of the Taganskaya organized crime group) and asked if he “had seen Anton” and whether they managed to put the Chechens on the wanted list, who were released on their own recognizance. Romanov is dissatisfied because he believes that problems may begin for “the guys who detained them.” Spanish investigators do not know who Anton, mentioned by Romanov, is, who is Torshin’s contact in the Russian security forces. They suspect that this is some high rank of the FSB. Anton’s boss, judging by the wiretaps, is a certain Sasha.

According to The Insider, however, Anton is none other than Anton Klimov, head of the 24th department of the 7th ORCH of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in Moscow. According to the lawyers of the injured party, it was this department that helped carry out the raider takeover. Anton Klimov’s boss at that time was indeed “Sasha” - the head of the criminal investigation department, Alexander Trushkin.

Torshin’s connections to the Ministry of Internal Affairs are clearly not limited to. For example, economist Sergei Aleksashenko, one of Torshin’s immediate superiors at the Central Bank in the 90s, stated that Torshin has long-standing ties with the FSB. In turn, politician Vladimir Milov

According to The Washington Post, Butina has been living in the United States on a student visa since 2016. According to the publication, she recently received a master's degree from American University in international relations. The university did not respond to RBC's request.

What Butina is accused of and what she faces

The American Department of Justice accuses Butina of “infiltrating (penetrating) organizations that have influence on American politics in order to promote the interests of the Russian Federation,” according to a statement on the department’s website. Butina acted together with a Russian official, whose name was not named in the materials of the US Department of Justice. However, they indicate that he worked in the legislative branch, and then moved to a high position in the Russian Central Bank. As Reuters and The Washington Post write, we are talking about Alexander Torshin.

The Ministry of Justice cited three episodes in which Butina appears as examples. The names of people and the names of organizations with which she worked are not reported in the materials of the Ministry of Justice. On March 14, 2016, Butina sent an email to an American citizen to “develop a relationship with him to achieve her goals,” the indictment says. In August 2016, Butina entered the United States on a student visa. She declared her intention to study in the District of Columbia and continued to be an agent of Russian influence, it is stated there. In September 2016, according to the indictment, she wrote an email to a US citizen because she wanted to organize an event where she could influence the views of US officials.

As the Ministry of Justice noted, if upon arrival in the United States Butina intended to engage in lobbying, she first had to notify the Prosecutor General about this. The charges are brought under Title 18, Parts 951 and 371 of the US Code. Section 371 describes “a conspiracy to commit a crime or to defraud the United States”). The maximum penalty is five years in prison, and a fine is also possible. Paragraph 951 concerns the work of “agents of foreign governments.” It states that persons working in the United States under the control of foreign governments are required to notify the US Attorney General of their activities (the rule does not apply to diplomats). For violation of this requirement, the maximum penalty is ten years in prison or a fine (possibly both). This article appeared after the passage of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in 1938.

The FBI took part in the investigation of Butina’s activities, which gained access to her correspondence and the contents of her phone. In the report of FBI special agent Kevin Helson, attached to the indictment against Butina, she is credited with complicity in creating a secret channel of communication between the elites of the Republican Party and the Russian leadership. Allegedly, while studying at one of the universities in Washington from 2015 to 2017, Butina acted as a Kremlin agent of influence. It is indicated that she received instructions from a high-ranking Russian official, whose name has not been disclosed.

Special Agent Helson also says in his report that Butina took part in the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington in 2016. Butina allegedly discussed with a Russian official not named in the indictment the possibility of organizing Russian President Vladimir Putin's participation in the National Prayer Breakfast in 2017. The prayer breakfast is held in February in Washington, D.C., and is attended by several hundred people, usually addressed by the President of the United States.

Who is Butina related to?

In the United States, Butina maintained connections with several conservative political activists. According to investigators, in 2015, the Russian woman established contact with a person who agreed to introduce her to influential American politicians. In November 2015, Butina entered into correspondence with an American political activist and invited him to lobby for a softening of policies towards Moscow in the Republican Party, which, in her opinion, was capable of winning the elections in 2016. Butina also allegedly told her interlocutor that for these purposes she would have to receive a budget of $125 thousand. The latter provided her with a list of politicians with whom she should meet. Subsequently, representatives of the American Rifle Association (NRA) and Gun Rights held a series of meetings. According to Newsweek and other media outlets, the activist is Paul Erickson, a former member of the NRA.

In November 2016, the Russian official mentioned in the indictment and Butina were allegedly looking for an opportunity to organize a gala event attended by influential American politicians. It was planned to “establish a secret communication channel,” notes Special Agent Helson in his conclusion. Subsequently, Butina and her American interlocutors discussed a plan to establish American-Russian contacts, which, as she assured, was approved by “Putin’s side,” follows from the text of the indictment.

What does Butina's side say?

According to Butina's lawyer Robert Neil Driscoll, the investigators' charges are excessive. “Maria Butina is not an agent of influence of the Russian Federation, she is a Russian citizen living in the United States on a student visa,” the lawyer said in a statement sent to RBC. He also said that several months ago, Butina “voluntarily testified behind closed doors for eight hours to representatives of both parties in the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and also provided them with thousands of documents.” The lawyer also said that Butina's Washington apartment was searched in April and that her arrest on Sunday was carried out without prior notice. Driscoll declined to comment further.

The Russian embassy in the United States stated that

Biography, life story of Butina Maria Valerievna

Butina Maria Valerievna is a Russian political activist, businesswoman, founder of the interregional public organization “Right to Arms”.

Childhood

Maria Butina was born in Barnaul on November 10, 1988. Her father is an individual entrepreneur, his field of activity is furniture production; Previously, the man was a teacher at the graduate school of the Altai State Technical University named after I.I. Polzunov. Maria's mother is the chief engineer at an energy company. In addition to Maria, another daughter was born in the family - Marina.

In 2005, Maria Butina graduated from gymnasium No. 22 with in-depth study of the English language; received a silver medal. During her school years, the girl was fond of sports - she played volleyball, swam, shot a pistol, and practiced clay pigeon shooting; Among quiet activities, I preferred chess.

Education

In 2010, Maria became a graduate (with honors, by the way) of Altai State University with a major in Political Science and a minor in Pedagogy. After this, the girl entered graduate school at the same university at the Faculty of Mass Communications, Philology and Political Science. Butina began to study political processes, institutions and technologies, and the scope of her scientific interests included problematic movements as a current phenomenon in modern Russia.

Career and social activities

In 2002, the young, but passionate and active Maria Butina became the director of the school museum and a lecturer there. In 2005, Maria changed her occupation and became the organizer of debate schools in Barnaul. She did this for two years. From 2006 to 2008, Butina was the coordinator of the Altai regional public organization “School of Real Politics”. In 2007-2009, Maria was the executive director of the Rotary Club.

In 2010, Maria Valerievna created the public organization “Public Safety and Order”. A year later, on the basis of this organization, the “Right to Arms” movement was created, which later itself became a public organization. Maria Butina took over as chairman of the board.

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Maria Butina, who brilliantly learned English and German in her youth, has repeatedly been a translator at important meetings of Russian and American politicians and public figures.

From 2012 to 2016, Maria Valerievna held the position of special assistant to the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Alexander Porfiryevich Torshin.

In 2016, Maria Butina left for the United States on a student visa. In Washington, the girl graduated from American University and received a master's degree in international relations. In addition to her studies, in America, Maria was engaged in social activities as an official representative of the Right to Arms organization she created. Butina attended various events, promoted her ideas and beliefs, met like-minded people, and especially closely communicated with the National Rifle Association.

Arrest

On July 15, 2018, Maria Butina was arrested. US authorities accused her of trying to establish contacts with American individuals and penetrate organizations that influence American politics, in other words, of espionage. Maria's lawyer, Robert Driscolla, said his client is not an agent and is not at fault. According to media reports, Maria could face up to five years in prison if she is convicted of espionage conspiracy, or up to ten years if a jury charges her with working as an unregistered foreign agent.

Personal life

Maria Butina's husband is a political activist and former member of the National Bolshevik Party. The couple had a child.

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29-year-old Russian citizen Maria Butina, detained yesterday in Washington, worked for Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank Alexander Torshin and carried out his instructions in contacts with US citizens as a member of the board of the Right to Arms organization.

Maria Valerievna Butina was born on November 10, 1988 into a family of engineers in the city of Barnaul, the capital of the Altai Territory.

Participant in school and district conferences on physics and computer science. She graduated with honors from gymnasium No. 22 with in-depth study of the English language.

In 2005, she entered the budget department at Altai State University with a degree in Political Science. She graduated from the specialty with honors and received additional education with the qualification “Teacher”.

In 2011, she entered graduate school at Altai State University with a degree in “Political Processes, Institutions and Technologies.” Area of ​​scientific interests: “Problem movements as a current phenomenon in modern Russia.”

Social activity

She gained her first experience of public speaking in high school, giving lectures on the Great Patriotic War, as the director of the school museum.

Since the first year of university, he has been a participant in educational projects “Regional School of Civil Society”, “Parliamentarism in Russia: Myth or Reality?”, “Legislative Processes: Theory and Practice”, “Altai-2006” and “School of Public Policy” of the Open Altai Foundation "

From 2005 to 2006 – developer and participant in social projects at the “Help with Advice” Center.

In 2005, she was one of the founders of the university club “Debates”, and also led the direction “Debates. School League" for teaching rhetorical skills to middle and high school students.

From 2005 to 2006 – coordinator of the School of Real Politics.

2006-2007 – specialist in youth work at the local branch of the All-Russian youth movement “Victory”.

From 2007 to 2008, she worked as an assistant consultant to Barnaul entrepreneur and philanthropist A.V. Stepurko, supervising programs for the development of a healthy lifestyle and improving political culture.

From 2007 to 2009, she was the executive director of the Barnaul branch of the Rotary Club.
In 2008, from the student trade union of ASU, she was elected a member of the Public Chamber of the Altai Territory of the 2nd convocation, where she headed the Information Center and produced the regional television programs “Right to Defense” and “Voice of the Public.”

From 2008 to 2009 she worked as a PR manager at Eco-standard LLC.

In 2010, she created the Altai regional public organization “Public Safety and Order”.

From 2011 until March 2018, she was the chairman of the board of the interregional public organization “Right to Arms”.

Since 2012 - member of the Russian Association of Political Science.

Political activity

Since 2005, she has been engaged in political journalism. She was the editor-in-chief of the portal of the Faculty of Political Sciences of Altai State University, a correspondent for the “Politics” department of the Altai regional newspaper “Newspaper No. 1”.

From 2005 to 2008, she took part in election campaigns for the Barnaul City Duma and the Altai Regional Council of Deputies as the head of the field service.

In 2011, she took part in the project “Youth primaries of the Young Guard of United Russia”, where she won and entered the “national primaries”, as a result of which she received 33rd out of 62 seats.

Non-partisan. Assistant to ex-senator Alexander Torshin. Now Torshin is deputy chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

Since 2010 - director of the company for the retail trade of furniture and household appliances in the Altai Territory "Trade chain "Home Comfort".

From 2013 to the current date - owner of the advertising company “Antares” in Moscow.

Hobbies

Since school, he has been interested in volleyball and swimming. Favorite sports: practical pistol shooting, clay pigeon shooting, chess. He listens to classical music and is still interested in reading literature and cinema. Fluent in English and beginner level German.

The arrest of Maria Butina shows how far Trump is from his intelligence agencies and how deeply divided the American establishment is. The New York Times writes that Butina managed to recruit an American who helped her establish close ties with the Trump administration. Most likely, this is National Rifle Association member Paul Erickson, who was part of the chain of organizing the failed meeting between Trump and Putin back in 2016. By the way, the accusation of interference in American interests was brought by the Department of Justice, which reports to Trump, and not by the Mueller Commission, which the US President fiercely hates.

Butina is also a redhead, like the failed spy Anna Chapman, expelled from the United States, and her style of action is similar, only Butina has moved further. The NRA is held in high regard by Trump, and in Russia Butina has an excellent patron, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank Torshin. That is, all branches of government are involved in helping Trump in the elections, Vaino probably gave instructions to officials, and Nabiullina sent Torshin to the headquarters for the US presidential elections. Torshin will probably be awarded the title of Hero of Russia, and Butina will be made a great martyr for the idea and they will try to exchange her for Tsurkan. In June 2015, Masha wrote a column for the conservative American magazine National Interest about how a Republican president would help improve bilateral relations.

And already in July, she made her way to the microphone at one of Trump’s meetings with voters and asked a question about relations with Russia, to which she received one of the first answers from the future president that he would get along with Putin. That is, Butina had long been led on Trump’s trail and was helped in every possible way to infiltrate Republican circles. The Ministry of Justice today cited Butina’s correspondence with a high-ranking Russian official who wrote to her on Twitter: “Your political star has skyrocketed. Now the main thing is not to burn out prematurely.” And so it happened, and along with Butina, the hope that the summit in Helsinki gave will burn out.