Federal officials have charged a 30-year-old Russian-born scientist with attempting to smuggle a frog embryo into the United States.
Identified as Kseniia Petrova, a researcher at Harvard, she was arrested in February, as reported on Wednesday.
Authorities are preparing to send her to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Louisiana, following her custody. They’re also assessing whether the judge will order her deportation to Russia.
In a press release on Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Massachusetts District announced that Petrova, a Russian national, faced charges related to smuggling contraband into the U.S. She was arrested that same day for each accusation.
The Attorney’s office explained:
Documents indicate that on February 16, 2025, Petrova arrived at Logan International Airport in Boston on a flight from Paris. Customs and border protection agents halted her as law enforcement dogs reportedly alerted them to her checked duffel bag on the baggage carousel. Following standard protocol, officers removed her bags and brought them to a secondary agricultural testing area, where they found biological items. The items included samples of frog embryos in foam boxes, microcentrifuge tubes, and mounted stained slides. Such materials require declaration to customs upon arrival.
When approached, Petrova initially denied having any biological materials in her luggage. However, upon further questioning, she admitted to carrying them.
She maintained that she wasn’t aware that these materials needed to be declared upon entry.
According to the documents, Petrova’s phone contained messages revealing that one of her colleagues had advised her about the need to declare biological materials, the U.S. Attorney emphasized. In another conversation with her lead investigator, she was asked about her plans for passing through customs with the samples.
Petrova reportedly expressed confusion about the requirement to declare the materials, with a related AP article noting that she was informed her visa had been revoked.
The Associated Press reported in April that she fears being trapped, or worse, if deported back to Russia.
“I’m concerned that I’ll be imprisoned for my political views and stance on the war,” she mentioned.
In a social media update, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided a screenshot of a CBS news report regarding the charges against her. The agency stated, “Reminder: Individuals may be detained for deceiving federal officials about bringing substances into the country. Subsequent inspections found undeclared Petri dishes and vials of embryonic frog cells without proper permits.”
They added, “Messages on her phone indicated she planned to bypass customs without proper declaration, suggesting she knowingly violated the law.”
Meanwhile, U.S. attorney Leah B. Foley addressed Petrova’s case in a video posted Wednesday. “The law doesn’t grant exceptions for those with educated backgrounds. Petrova’s visa was revoked due to her actions; it’s a privilege, not a right,” she stated.
“Her alleged dishonesty and disregard for public safety led to today’s charges. It’s unfortunate. The New York Times has noted that her potential lies were allowed to persist,” Foley added.
