DOJ drops charges against Russian researcher accused of smuggling frog embryos

A federal judge has granted a request from prosecutors to dismiss the criminal case against Kseniia Petrova, the Russian researcher at Harvard University who was detained in 2025 after being accused of smuggling frog embryos into the United States.

Petrova was detained by customs agents at Boston's Logan International Airport in February 2025 for carrying undeclared biological samples. She was held in immigration custody as the Trump administration moved to revoke hundreds of student visas as part of its immigration crackdown.

The Justice Department in May 2025 charged Petrova over the "noninfectious and non-toxic frog embryos." Petrova was ordered released from custody a month later while she continued to face charges.

On Tuesday, prosecutors said in court filings that continuing the prosecution would "divert significant time and attention from more substantial federal interests."

"At this stage, the resource costs of continuing this prosecution outweigh the public interest in its resolution," prosecutors wrote.

Popular Reads

Crews respond to early morning explosion at a Mississippi chemical plant

• 13 hours ago

US Marine dies after training incident in Japan, officials say

• 20 hours ago

Judge temporarily blocks deportation of Afghan nationals

• 1 day ago

William Fick, an attorney representing Petrova, told ABC News that the Justice Department "never should have brought this highly unusual smuggling prosecution" against Petrova. 

"Two federal judges decided that the suspicious circumstances here warranted further investigation into whether Homeland Security and the DOJ unfairly targeted Ms. Petrova," Fick said. "Although that important question will not yet be answered, we are pleased the DOJ has finally reached the appropriate conclusion and asked the court to immediately dismiss all criminal charges against Ms. Petrova."

While being held in a Louisiana detention facility, Petrova told ABC News she believed her detainment was too harsh.

"I would like to say that something is completely, completely out of control here," Petrova said. "I think my case was an example of showing how really the system doesn't work."