A self-described Belarusian “sex-huntress” has requested asylum in the United States in exchange for information about “Russian government crimes” after she was arrested in Thailand.
Nastya Rybka was arrested in Thailand on Monday with her partner and eight Russians for running an illegal “sex training" course. The Belarusian national was a key figure in opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s video investigation released last month that claimed that Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska had acted as a messenger between U.S. President Donald Trump’s ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort and a top Kremlin foreign policy official.
Rybka, whose real name is Anastasia Vashukevich, and her partner, who goes by the name of Alex Leslie, reportedly relayed a letter requesting asylum to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok after their arrest, the independent-leaning Dozhd TV news channel reported on Wednesday.
“We ask for political asylum, help and protection, as soon as possible, because we have very important information for the U.S. and our lives are very much at risk,” Dozhd TV cited Leslie as writing in the letter.
Leslie and Rybka wrote that they “fled” Russia after the political scandal surrounding Navalny's investigation and were ready to provide video and audio evidence of “Russian government crimes” in exchange for U.S. assistance.
The two sex educators were released on bail, then re-arrested and relocated to a migrant holding center in Bangkok, the independent-leaning Dozhd TV news channel reported.
On Tuesday, Rybka had published a video on Instagram asking U.S. journalists for help in exchange for information about Russia's Trump connection.
“I’m ready to reveal all of the missing puzzles that you need, with audio and video proof, about the connection between our respected deputies and Manafort, Trump and the commotion around the U.S. elections,” she said.
"If you find me in a Thai prison and I'm still alive then I'll be happy to speak to you," she added.
