Kseniia Petrova, a 31-year-old Russian researcher at Harvard Medical School, has been indicted on felony smuggling charges after being detained for carrying frog embryos without declaration. This case highlights the ongoing struggles of international academics amid strict immigration regulations.
Harvard Researcher Indicted for Smuggling: Legal Battles Ahead
Harvard Researcher Indicted for Smuggling: Legal Battles Ahead
A Harvard scientist faces serious charges after illegally transporting biological samples into the U.S., raising concerns over international student security.
A federal grand jury in Boston formally indicted Kseniia Petrova, a scientist at Harvard Medical School, on Wednesday for multiple criminal charges including smuggling goods into the country and making false statements to customs officials. Petrova was detained on February 16 after returning from a trip to France, where she was in possession of frog embryo samples she had been asked to bring back by her supervisor.
Her three-month detention in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center incited significant international attention and outrage, particularly among the academic community, many of whom criticized the government's harsh actions as detrimental to noncitizen scholars. The indictment alleges three felonies against the 31-year-old researcher, with the smuggling charge carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years, while the other charges regarding concealment and false statements could each lead to five years in prison.
Though Petrova admitted to not declaring the samples at customs, her lawyer contended that such an oversight is typically regarded as a minor offense that would normally incur a fine. Instead, the customs officials not only revoked her visa but proceeded with deportation actions against her. During this process, Petrova expressed fears for her safety should she return to Russia, where she had previously fled to escape political persecution.
In May, a federal judge in Vermont questioned the grounds for Petrova’s visa revocation, suggesting there was insufficient factual or legal basis to support the customs officer's claims. As the case moves forward, it underscores the complexities facing international students and researchers in the U.S. amidst increasingly stringent immigration policies.
