Federal Charges for Harvard Scientist in Smuggling Case

The indictment has raised concerns about the treatment of noncitizen academics in the U.S.

A federal grand jury in Boston has indicted Kseniia Petrova, a 31-year-old Russian researcher at Harvard Medical School, on serious charges including smuggling goods into the United States and making false statements to customs officials. The charges stem from an incident on February 16, when she returned from France carrying samples of frog embryos, which she had transported to fulfill a request from her supervisor.

Petrova was detained after failing to declare the embryos at customs and subsequently spent over three months in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. Her case has attracted substantial international attention, as many in the scientific community have rallied to her defense, criticizing the harsh measures taken by U.S. authorities as a warning to noncitizen researchers.

According to the indictment, Petrova faces three felony charges, the most serious of which could result in up to 20 years in prison, along with hefty fines. While Petrova admits her failure to declare the embryos, her legal team argues that such a mistake typically warrants only a minor penalty, not felony charges. Following her apprehension, customs officials canceled her visa, launching a deportation process. Petrova contested this decision, citing her fear of persecution if returned to Russia due to her political history.

In May, U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss expressed doubt about the justification for ICE's actions, highlighting a potential lack of legal basis for stripping Petrova of her visa. This high-profile case continues to evolve, igniting discussions about the immigration policies affecting international scholars in the United States.