Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Model apologizes in claim of Russia election interference

MOSCOW — A Belarusian model who last year claimed to have evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election says she won't be saying anything more about the matter.

Anastasia Vashukevich made the statement Saturday in a Moscow court that was considering whether to keep her in jail as she faces charges of inducement to prostitution.

Vashukevich was arrested in Thailand last February on prostitution charges. After her arrest she claimed she had audio tapes of Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, who is close to President Vladimir Putin, talking about interference in the U.S. election.

She was deported from Thailand on Thursday after pleading guilty and was detained when her flight arrived in Moscow.

She told journalists in the court that she has apologized to Deripaska and says "I will no longer compromise him."