01:46USA: Maria Butina pleads guilty to conspiring against US
A woman accused of acting as a Russian agent pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in a deal struck with prosecutors at court in Washington DC on Thursday.
Maria Butina, a former student at American University and a gun rights activists, was charged by prosecutors in July with acting as a foreign agent and conspiring against the US government.
She initially pleaded not guilty, but has now chosen to co-operate with investigators. Sentencing has been set for 12 February.
AJ Kramer, advisory counsel to Butina, said his client was "satisfied" with the outcome and that the decision had been taken "voluntarily". Another member of her defence team, lawyer Robert Driscoll, was also spotted leaving court.
The Russian government has described the case as "fabricated" and called for Butina's immediate release.
01:46A woman accused of acting as a Russian agent pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in a deal struck with prosecutors at court in Washington DC on Thursday.
Maria Butina, a former student at American University and a gun rights activists, was charged by prosecutors in July with acting as a foreign agent and conspiring against the US government.
She initially pleaded not guilty, but has now chosen to co-operate with investigators. Sentencing has been set for 12 February.
AJ Kramer, advisory counsel to Butina, said his client was "satisfied" with the outcome and that the decision had been taken "voluntarily". Another member of her defence team, lawyer Robert Driscoll, was also spotted leaving court.
The Russian government has described the case as "fabricated" and called for Butina's immediate release.