Natalia Burlinova

Charges, as published

• Conspiracy to Commit Offense or to Defraud the United States
• Agent of a Foreign Government

Case details, as published by FBI

Natalia Burlinova is wanted for allegedly acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, Russia, within the United States. Burlinova allegedly conspired with an officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to recruit United States citizens to travel to Moscow to participate in a program called Meeting Russia run by the organization that she led, Public Initiative Creative Diplomacy (PICREADI). The FSB officer allegedly provided Burlinova with funding and other support for her recruitment efforts. In return, Burlinova provided the FSB officer with information about recruited United States citizens, including their resumes, passport information, photographs, and analyses of their views toward Russia. Burlinova further identified for further collaboration particular United States citizens who had expressed positive attitudes towards Russia. During a recruitment trip to the United States in the Fall of 2018, Burlinova met with United States citizens at various United States universities and research institutions and provided the FSB officer with photographs of her meetings. On April 17, 2023, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Burlinova in the United States District Court, District of Columbia, Washington, D.C., after she was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Offense or to Defraud the United States and Agent of a Foreign Government.