Imagine someone attending think tank meetings in Washington while secretly maintaining ties to Russian intelligence! Zarubina’s guilty plea is a reminder that espionage isn’t always about stealing files. Sometimes it’s about gaining access, building trust and finding people worth recruiting.  #FBI  #Counterintelligence  #NationalSecuritySpycraft101 (@spycraft101)Russian national Nomma Zarubina pleaded guilty in February 2026 to lying to the FBI regarding her relationship with Russian intelligence while working in the United States.

Zarubina arrived in the US in 2016 after completing her master’s degree in public administration in Moscow. She began working at the Russian Center in New York City, promoting cultural events. She also worked with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington DC, although her profile on their website has now been deleted.

The FBI first interviewed Zarubina in October 2020 regarding her relationship with Elena Branson, who led the Russian Center in New York and was already under investigation as an unregistered foreign agent of the Russian government. Branson later fled to Russia to avoid arrest, where she remains to this day.

Over the course of five interviews, Zarubina repeatedly stated she had no affiliation with the FSB. But the FBI has submitted an affidavit alleging she was recruited by an FSB officer in December 2020 and given the codename Alyssa, and that her mission was to develop relationships with journalists, think tank members, and Russian dissidents living in the United States. She eventually admitted to working with the FSB and was arrested in November 2024 but granted bail and allowed some limited freedom while awaiting trial.

In early 2025, Zarubina sent a series of bizarre and flirtatious text messages and photos to one of the FBI agents who had previously interviewed her. Most of the messages were sent late at night while she was apparently drunk.

In December 2025 she was ordered to return to jail to await trial. In addition to lying to the FBI, she was charged with lying on her immigration application. In February she pleaded guilty and was later sentenced to 14 months in prison.

#washingtondc  #russia  #fbi  #immigration  #guilty—  https://x.com/spycraft101/status/2111185416070336725

— @Robert4787 Oct 17, 2026

Joint  #NCIS and  #FBI case leads to guilty plea by former  #CIA official and Navy Reserve member, David Rush, 43, who defrauded the government of over $190 million. We are committed to pursuing those who undermine public trust.  tinyurl.com/5n7m55wj

— @RealNCIS Oct 17, 2026