A woman accused of being a secret agent for the Russian government who surreptitiously gathered intelligence on American officials and political organizations pleaded guilty Thursday to a conspiracy charge. Authorities charged that Butina's work was directed by Alexander Torshin, a Russian government bank official now under sanction by the Treasury Department for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Investigators recovered several emails and Twitter direct message conversations in which Butina referred to the need to keep her work secret and, in one instance, said it should be "incognito." Prosecutors said Butina had contact with Russian intelligence officials and that the FBI photographed her dining with a diplomat suspected of being a Russian intelligence agent. Butina, who was arrested in July, faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and could be deported after her release.

Source: Fox News December 13, 2018 17:31 UTC