US federal prosecutors asked a court on November 3 to dismiss the criminal case against Harvard University researcher Ksenia Petrova. The filing was a prosecution motion, not a court order: the judge must decide whether to dismiss the case.
Prosecutors said continuing the case following court orders requiring disclosure of evidence would consume substantial resources that could be better directed toward other federal prosecutorial priorities. They rejected the defense's allegations that the prosecution was biased or retaliatory.
Petrova's lawyers linked the prosecution to a dispute over her immigration status. In April and October 2026, the court ordered the disclosure of evidence relevant to the defense's arguments. Those procedural orders did not themselves constitute a judicial finding that the prosecution was improper.
In 2025, Petrova was charged in connection with the alleged smuggling of biological materials and false or withheld information during customs screening. She pleaded not guilty and had previously been released on bail. The case's future depends on the court's decision on the prosecutors' motion.