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The Harvard University scientist accused of smuggling frog embryos into the United States was slapped with additional federal charges Wednesday as she faces the possibility of decades in prison for allegedly failing to disclose the biological materials.
Russian-born scientist Kseniia Petrova, 30, was indicted by a Boston federal grand jury on one count of concealment of a material fact, one count of smuggling goods into the U.S. and one count of false statement.
Petrova, a scientist studying cancer research at Harvard, was initially charged with smuggling last month and will remain on pretrial release despite the new charges.
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The researcher was arrested after she was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Boston Logan International Airport while returning from a vacation to France in February. Petrova told officers she had picked up a package of superfine sections of frog embryos while on her trip with the intention of using the samples for research.
Petrova was subsequently informed her visa was being canceled, and she was taken into custody by immigration officials in Vermont following her arrest.
Harvard University and an attorney representing Petrova did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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In an April interview with The Associated Press, Petrova insisted she was unaware of her responsibility to declare the items, claiming she did not intend to sneak anything into the country.
However, federal prosecutors allege text messages from Petrova’s phone reveal a colleague informed the scientist she was required to declare the biological materials prior to traveling through TSA, according to the Department of Justice.
“If you bring samples or antibody back, make sure you get the permission etc,” the friend reportedly texted Petrova before her trip. “Like that link I sent to [the group chat] about frog embryos because TSA went through my bags at customs in Boston.”
RUSSIAN-BORN HARVARD RESEARCHER CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING IN FEDERAL COURT
Following her arrest in Vermont, Petrova filed a petition seeking her release and was later sent to an ICE detention facility in Louisiana. A judge later ruled the actions of the immigration officers were unlawful, with a federal grand jury initially charging Petrova with one count of smuggling.
If convicted, Petrova faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the smuggling charge, and up to five years in prison and an additional $250,000 on charges of concealment of material fact and false statements.
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