A dual Russian-American citizen has been accused of acting as a spy in the US, according to court files that say she ran organizations that “tried to spread Russian propaganda.”
Elena Branson was charged Tuesday with acting and conspiring to act illegally in the US as an agent of the Russian government, intentionally failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, conspiracy to commit visa fraud and making false statements to the FBI. , according to a criminal complaint.
The indictment alleges that Branson fled to Russia in 2020.
According to the indictment, Branson had been working on behalf of the Russian government and Russian officials to represent Russian interests in the US from at least 2011 onwards. Prosecutors allege she coordinated meetings for Russian officials to lobby U.S. political officials and businessmen, and ran organizations to publicly promote Russian government policy.
DailyExpertNews has attempted to contact Branson for comment on the allegations.
The charges come after US-Russia tensions continue to mount following last month’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, which saw the US lead and center in a multinational effort to punish Russia for its actions.
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