https://www.npr.org/2018/07/18/630094267/maria-butina-was-in-contact-with-russian-intelligence-feds-say-in-new-documents

"The FBI said it has determined that even though Butina had a personal relationship with someone described in court papers as Person 1 — identified by NPR as political fundraiser Paul Erickson — she "offered an individual other than Person 1 sex in exchange for a position with a special interest organization. Further, in papers seized by the FBI, Butina complained about living with Person 1."

The organization is not identified in the court documents. Butina and Torshin sought to build bridges with American political leaders via the National Rifle Association, but it isn't clear whether that is the entity to which the government alluded in its court filing.

Erickson cited the "sometimes international reach" of the NRA as part of a pitch he made in 2016 to members of Donald Trump's campaign. He and the Russians sought to use the imprimatur of the NRA in order to arrange meetings between U.S. political leaders and Trump, citing a "back channel" Erickson had forged with the Kremlin.

The Trump campaign did not agree to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2016 as Erickson proposed, but Donald Trump Jr. did meet Torshin briefly that year at the NRA's convention in Louisville.

The NRA has so far made no comment this week about the charges against Butin or the Torshin connection.

The FBI said it saw Butina and Person 1 at a U-Haul truck facility on July 14, a day before she was arrested. Butina had boxes in her apartment the following day when the FBI arrived.