Anna Fermanova
| Anna Fermanova | |
|---|---|
| Born | Anna Fermanova USSR |
| Occupation | Teacher, beautician, television commentator |
| Known for | Alleged Spying for Russian government |
| Parents | Mikhail and Bella Fermanova |
| Notes
Arrested on July 15, 2010
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Anna Fermanova (Russian: Анна Ферманова) also known as Anya Fermanov is a Latvian-American television personality and alleged smuggler. While living in Texas, Fermanova allegedly smuggled optic with night vision to her husband in Russia.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Fermanova who is now 24 years old, moved to Greensboro, NC with her family from Riga, Latvia as Jewish religious refugees in 1994.[2][3] The family then moved to Baltimore for a year and eventually settled in Dallas area in 1998.[2] In the US she was naturalized and became a US citizen. In 2004, Anna graduated from Richardson High School.[2] Currently, she studies at the University of Phoenix and teaches English language to Russian students in Moscow.[1][4]
[edit] Arrest and charges
On March 1, 2010, Fermanova was travelling from New York to Moscow but was stopped by the Customs and Border Protection because her luggage contained high tech vision goggles, allowed to be exported from the United States only with preapproval of the Department of State because they are considered weapons.[1][3] The equipment was confiscated, by the Customs but she was allowed to continue her trip to Russia. While returning to US on July 15, 2010, Fermanova was apprehended by FBI at the JFK airport and charged with having "knowingly and intentionally" attempted to export "from the United States to Russia defense articles on the United States Munitions list". Fermanova denied all charges and called them "false allegations" although she admitted removing identifying markers from the scopes and blacking out serial numbers with a marker.[5] According to the family lawyer, the goggles were intended for sale by her husband (who is a Russian citizen[6]) to hunters. The three US-made military goggles cost $4,000, $4,000 and $7,000, respectively. The $7,000 goggles are described as a Raptor 4X Night Vision Weapons Sight, considered a 3G night vision device that allows one to locate the target in low light, and are engineered to be attached to a rifle.[3] Fermanova is currently out of prison[clarification needed] on a $50,000 bail but was placed on a 24-hour home arrest. She is expected to leave her home in Plano, Texas for Brooklyn in July to face official charges in court. If convicted, Fermanova could face up to 10 years in prison.[1]
Fermanova pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act after customs officials on March 1 found three scopes stuffed in a pair of Ugg boogs inside her luggage at JFK International Airport in New York. A 25-year-old Plano woman who pleaded guilty this year to attempting to smuggle night-vision scopes to Russia was sentenced to four months in federal prison by a New York judge Monday.[7]
[edit] Television career
In September, 2010, Fermanova began work as a television commentator on the The CW affiliated television news station KDAF in Dallas.[8]
[edit] See also
- Illegals Program
- Anna Chapman
- Russian influence operations in the United States
- Russia – United States relations
- Rudolf Abel, Gary Powers and Frederic Pryor (swapped 1962)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Olshan, Jeremy; Fisher, Janon (2007-07-27). "New sexy Russian 'spy' busted for allegedly smuggling night-vision scopes: report". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/report_sexy_russian_spy_busted_for_7r6c43nB3HsHWPNfjbrYJL. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
- ^ a b c "Russian immigrants sympathetic to accused smuggler Anna Fermanova". Dallas News. 2007-07-29. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-smuggler_29met.ART.Central.Edition1.4d845d0.html. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ a b c Jabali-Nash, Naimah (2007-07-27). "Anna Fermanova Tried to Smuggle High Tech Devices, Say Feds". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20011823-504083.html. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
- ^ Alastair Jamieson (2007-07-28). "Anna Fermanova: the 'sexy' beautician who moved from Latvia to Texas". Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7913957/Anna-Fermanova-the-sexy-beautician-who-moved-from-Latvia-to-Texas.html. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ Samuel Goldsmith (2007-07-27). "Anna Fermanova jailed in Texas for allegedly smuggling technology to Russia". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/07/27/2010-07-27_anna_fermanova_jailed_in_texas_for_allegedly_smuggling_technology_to_russia_may_.html. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
- ^ Nikolay Zubov (2007-08-02). "Новая Анна [New Anna]". Kommersant. http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1443319. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "'Sexy' Russian smuggler Anna Fermanova sentenced to four months in prison". Dallas News. 2011-10-24. http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/headlines/20111024-sexy-russian-smuggler-anna-fermanova-sentenced-to-four-months-in-prison.ece.
- ^ Theodore Kim (2010-09-10). ""Sexy Russian" from Plano accused of smuggling, Anna Fermanova, lands Dallas television gig". Dallas Morning News. http://planoblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/09/photo-matt-strasengetty-images.html. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
