WASHINGTON, DC. (THECOUNT) — Maria Butina, the Russian national accused of acting as a Kremlin agent in the United States, was abruptly moved from a jail in Washington to a lockup in Alexandria, Virginia, according to her lawyer, thedailybeast is reporting.
“I got a collect call from Maria from Alexandria Detention at midnight last night, but was disconnected before we could speak,” Robert Driscoll told The Daily Beast. “I couldn’t get in to the facility last night, but visited her this morning. She was not informed of the reason for the move. I was not notified of the move, and still am unaware of the reason.”
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Amy Bertsch, a spokeswoman for the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, confirmed Butina arrived around 7 p.m. Friday at William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center, which also houses federal inmates. Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chief, is also currently being held at the same jail, awaiting the verdict in his trial for a host of alleged financial crimes. source
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why Butina had been moved. Butina has pleaded not guilty to charges she acted as an covert Russian agent.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused American officials of mistreating Butina in jail.
Butina attended graduate school at American University, and over several years built relationships with a host of leaders in the conservative movement. She began a romantic relationship with Paul Erickson, formerly a member of the board of the American Conservative Union, and he helped her build connections throughout the American right.
Court documents and public reports indicate that Russian billionaire Konstantin Nikolaev helped fund her activities in the U.S. The Daily Beast reported last week that she also had assistance from Igor Pisarsky, a prominent public affairs professional in Moscow whose firm has worked for a host of Kremlin clients.