Anna Chapman was the Russian spy who captivated America, but possibly there’s a new spy from the Baltic States ready to take over. Anna Fermanova, a 24-year-old native of Latvia, has captivated Facebook enthusiasts and presumably stolen military-grade equipment. The New York Daily News writes that Fermanova presumably sent a Raptor 4X Night Vision Weapons sight to Moscow illegally, supposedly for her husband to use while hunting. Fermanova was arrested on July 15 at her home near Dallas after returning from her most recent trip to the motherland.
It ‘looks a lot worse than it really is,’ claims Anna Fermanova’s legal representative
Scott Palmer, who is Anna Fermanova’s attorney, tried to assuage critics, stating that “She’s a nice Jewish girl who lives with her sweet Latvian father and mother. There’s no terrorism link. There’s no espionage”. Nevertheless, an informant whose name has not been revealed reportedly tipped immigration off as to Fermanova’s smuggling. Once authorities searched Fermanova’s possessions before her last trip to Moscow, they found a $ 7,000 Raptor scope and two others worth $ 4,000 each.
Fermanova claims she’d bought the scopes online for her “husband’s hunting buddies in Russia,” writes the Daily News. After being told that bringing such gear out of the country was illegal without the proper license, Fermanova told authorities that she’d signed some paperwork, but couldn’t tell them what it had been for. Apparently it did not constitute the license necessary for exportation.
Serial numbers were tampered with, by Fermanova’s admission
Fermanova said to officials that she’d obscured the serial numbers on the scopes purposely. Investigating agents didn’t believe Fermanova was telling the whole truth she said that she did that simply for making the serial numbers “less noticeable”. Ultimately, the scopes were repossessed and she was permitted to fly to Moscow, but once she returned, her passport was seized and Anna Fermanova was taken into custody. Fermanova was subjected to the charge of “knowingly and intentionally attempting to export defense articles on the United States Munitions list”. That carries a 10-year prison term, indicates the Daily News. At the moment, she resides in her parents’ home while under house arrest, after $ 50,000 bail went to post.
In trouble for check fraud
Seven years ago, Anna Fermanova was placed under arrest for a $ 76 check forgery. The one-time cosmetology student and English language instructor was fined for the offense and served 3 years of probation. Speaking of beauty school, Fermanova’s Facebook popularity was largely built off photographs taken during her time in cosmetology. Fermanova’s sexy photographs bring to mind the photos of Anna Chapman, which also drew their share of attention from the online passerby.
Additional reading
nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/07/28/2010-07-28_nice_jewish_girl_anna_fermanova_busted_for_trying_to_smuggle_nightvision_scopes_.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latvia
