possibly including a new identity, the alternative being returning back to Russia for an uncertain fate.

Like her old boss's.

But my money is on the age old self-preservation issue. Occams Razor.

This might also be a way for them to find out what Mueller knows, like the Manafort channel.

Either Russia is allowed to own the GOP and the rule of law goes by the wayside, or the rule of law is upheld and the GOP has to fight the government itself just to survive. Either way, America is weakened.

can still be useful. She just has to secretly reveal her location and start communicating with them. Then nobody ever hears from her again.

that a spy swap might be in the offing. I don't know why she'd have to plead guilty first, but she can flee with her secrets if a swap goes down. And seeing how she fed trump questions at a presser involving Russian sanctions, it might be in his best interests to get rid of her.

He has now disappeared. Is this because his asset has flipped (contrary to everything in the OP)?

I don’t think Putin is happy having his spycraft techniques being examined by US Prosecutors.

So you might as well cooperate, so you can get something for it.

Is that possible?

She's probably going to do the same thing Manafort did--lie and waste everyone's time. The alternative is, I assume, death at the hands of one of Putin's thugs?

She had plenty of opportunity to leave before being jailed but did not and that makes no sense to me, unless she was staying here because she wanted to get caught, by instruction from Russia.

Here is the Daily Beast article;
https://www.thedailybeast.com/maria-butina-pleads-guilty-agrees-to-cooperate-with-us?ref=home

I'm looking at you Mitch.