A Russian citizen, Nomma Zarubina, has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI regarding her relationship with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and to naturalization fraud for lying about her involvement in prostitution-related offenses. The plea was entered before Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan, with sentencing set for June 11, 2026.
“While Nomma Zarubina was trying to cultivate relationships with American law enforcement, civil society organizations, and others, she was lying to the FBI about her ties to the Russian Federation,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s plea demonstrates our commitment to protecting the integrity of the naturalization process and reinforces that those who lie to federal authorities will incur serious consequences.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr., commented on the case: “After years of lies, Nomma Zarubina finally confessed to her repeated denial to FBI special agents of her contacts and relationship with Russian intelligence services, as well as to her failure to disclose her involvement in an interstate prostitution network in an effort to secure U.S. citizenship. Zarubina’s intentional concealment of her misconduct and her lies about her affiliation with Russian intelligence were an affront to law enforcement’s national security efforts. The FBI continues to defend our homeland from those who seek to impede federal investigations and deceive U.S. authorities.”
According to public court filings and statements made during proceedings, Zarubina began meeting with the FBI around October 2020 during its investigation into Elena Branson—a Russian national later charged as an unregistered foreign agent—who had a close relationship with Zarubina. During meetings in April 2021 and September 2023, Zarubina told agents she had no significant contact with Russian intelligence services beyond a single interview by the FSB while traveling.
These claims were found false after Zarubina admitted in June and July 2024 that she had met several times between December 2020 and June 2022 with an FSB officer while in Russia. She acknowledged being assigned the code name “Alyssa” by the FSB, agreeing to assist them with so-called “network marketing,” sharing journalist contact information from the United States upon request, attending events at their direction—including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum—and gathering information on specific individuals.
Investigators also established that between at least 2018 and 2024 while living in New York, Zarubina participated in transporting women between New York and New Jersey for prostitution at a massage parlor business based in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Despite this activity, she denied any such conduct when applying for U.S. citizenship in July 2022.
After being indicted but while out on bail pending trial, Zarubina attempted witness tampering by sending numerous unsolicited messages—including harassing communications—to one of the FBI agents involved in her case; this behavior persisted despite warnings from the court and led ultimately to revocation of her bail.
Zarubina faces up to five years’ imprisonment each for making false statements and for naturalization fraud; actual sentencing will be determined by judicial discretion.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division at its New York Field Office alongside assistance from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, David J. Robles, and Henry L. Ross from the National Security and International Narcotics Unit.
