Russian Consultant Accused of Espionage Spoke at Canadian Parliament Event Before Arrest

Nomma Zarubina, charged with lying to the FBI about ties to Russian intelligence, attended an Ottawa forum engaging with MPs and policymakers days before her detainment.

• Nomma Zarubina, a Russian political consultant based in New York, was arrested by the FBI on November 21 on charges of making false statements about her alleged connections to Russia's FSB intelligence agency.
• Two days before her arrest, Zarubina spoke at a conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, where she interacted with Canadian MPs, academics, and policymakers at an event critical of the Kremlin.
• The FBI alleges that Zarubina signed an agreement to assist the FSB in cultivating relationships with American targets, including journalists and military personnel, to promote Russian interests.
• Zarubina denies working for Russian intelligence, claiming that her intent was to cooperate with the FBI and share information, though she admitted to withholding details in two instances.
• Organizers of the Ottawa forum stated they were unaware of any red flags regarding Zarubina and noted that she had previously participated in other Western events without issue.

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