Court filing just revealed Butina is ready to flip on co-conspirator

Prosecutors seeking to keep Butina jailed until trial just dropped a bombshell.

Maria Butina and her handler, Russian deputy Central Banker Alexander Torshin in Washington, D.C.

A new filing by federal prosecutors just revealed that suspected Russian spy Maria Butina has offered information to authorities about the illegal activities of her co-conspirator, a man with whom she is romantically involved.

Paul Erickson is a long-time Republican political operative, and he entered a romantic relationship with Butina after meeting her at an October 2013 could conference for her gun lobby group “Right to Bear Arms” in Moscow.

Erickson assisted Butina’s operation to infiltrate and influence the National Rifle Association and setup a back channel for communication to the Russian government, which lies at the heart of prosecutors criminal complaint against her for conspiracy to act as an unregistered foreign agent.

Butina’s lover, alleged co-conspirator and GOP insider Paul Erickson.

Prosecutors are seeking to keep Butina in custody, and late last night, the filed a motion in opposition to her efforts for pre-trial release detailing the Russian government’s over-the-top efforts in her case, and noting that she has no ties to America, other suspected Russian agents have fled bail even without passports.

When they explained why Maria Butina’s “love interest” in Paul Erickson is insufficient to merit release and not a positive tie to America, that’s when they dropped a bombshell.

Prosecutors note that she recently offered information on Erickson’s activities.

Maria Butina’s email and a Direct Message communications form the primary basis of what we know about the criminal charges against her, but Erickson has yet to be publicly charged with the crime in which he is named as a co-conspirator.

But his Russian girlfriend certainly could have reason to be upset with Erickson, seeing as he neatly organized evidence of their allegedly criminal activities, which prosecutors also revealed in last night’s filing.

It is highly unlikely that a DC federal judge will grant bail to a Russian national whose home county has no extradition treaty and a deep interest in her rapid return to Moscow.

But last night’s filing just revealed that Maria Butina may be more interested in a rapid return home than keeping state secrets, and she might be ready turn in her American boyfriend Erickson.

Butina faces up to 15 years incarceration if convicted on all charges.

Read the complete court filing here: