A Harvard scientist from Russia has allegedly run afoul of the law.
Kseniia Petrova, a 31-year-old Russian citizen, has been charged with one count of smuggling goods into the United States, according to the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts.
Specifically, Petrova is accused of trying to smuggle biological material into the country.
That material included clawed frog embryos and embryonic samples.
Petrova was taken into immigration custody on Feb. 16 and was arrested on criminal charges May 14.
The attorney’s office statement said, in part: “According to the charging documents, on Feb. 16, 2025, Petrova arrived at Logan International Airport in Boston via an inbound flight from Paris.
“Upon her arrival, Petrova was stopped by Customs & Border Protection agents after a law enforcement canine allegedly alerted its handler to the defendant’s checked duffel bag on the baggage carousel.
“Per protocol, law enforcement removed the bag from the carousel and brought it to an agricultural secondary inspection area for further screening.
“There, an officer inspected the contents of the bag and allegedly discovered the biological items: a foam box containing clawed frog embryos in microcentrifuges, as well as embryonic samples in paraffin well stages and on mounted dyed slides.
Should Perova be deported?
“All biological products require a permit for entry and require the individual to make a declaration to Customs & Border Protection at the port of first arrival.”
The office added that Petrova initially lied to authorities about carrying biological materials, before being pressed further.
Of note, Petrova claimed under oath that she was unaware that such biological materials needed to be declared upon entry into the United States.
Text messages procured by authorities, however, reveal that a colleague had warned Petrova “make sure you get the permission etc.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Petrova had been working for the Institute of Genetic Biology in Moscow as recently as 2024.
Political news outlet The Hill noted that this case has received international scrutiny.
EXCLUSIVE: Kseniia Petrova, a Russian scientist at Harvard Medical School, has been detained by ICE since February.
Her case has raised concerns about the treatment of foreign researchers in the U.S. under the Trump administration.@GeoffRBennett spoke with her via video… pic.twitter.com/kjA0Bd9t1u
— PBS News (@NewsHour) April 24, 2025
Petrova — apparently an outspoken critic of the Russia-Ukraine war — said she fears political persecution, should she be deported back to her home country.
That, combined with the grander international discourse surrounding President Donald Trump and his administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, has given Petrova’s case some international attention.
The charge of illegally smuggling goods into the United States is punishable with “up to 20 years in prison, a term of up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.”
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