Maria Butina and Paul Erickson’s relationship has been put to the test by several challenges.
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According to federal prosecutors, Butina, a 29-year-old Russian gun-rights activist, ensnared Erickson, a 56-year-old conservative political operative, in a “duplicitous relationship,” using him for cover and connections as she developed an influence operation to “advance the Russian Federation’s agenda.”
Paul and Maria met in Moscow at a meeting of the Right to Bear Arms in November 2013, then reunited in Israel a few weeks later to be together on New Year’s Eve. It was all very fast and very romantic. After knowing Paul for some years, Maria moved to America in 2016 on a student visa.
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Butina returned to the United States frequently over the next few years, becoming a regular at numerous conservative conferences and conventions where Erickson allegedly assisted her in making inroads with America’s political elite.
Paul Erickson became a public figure after his girlfriend, Maria Butina was indicted and pled guilty last year to conspire with a top Russian official to infiltrate American conservative political circles as an unregistered agent for the Kremlin.
There have not been any reports about the two since Paul Erickson was jailed. It is assumed that their relationship has ended.
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