Alleged Russian Agent Connected to Founder of AU Institute
Amidst existing ties between the Carmel Institue and Russian intelligence, another Russian agent tied to AU has been exposed. The new allegations bring increasing suspicion to the relationship between AU and the Russian government.

Susan Carmel, the main financial supporter of the Carmel Institute at American University, has close ties to yet another alleged Russian agent, Elena Branson. Branson was charged on March 8 with “acting illegally as a Russian agent in the United States,” and her organization, the Russian Center New York (RCNY), hosted a forum in 2016, which included Susan Carmel as a speaker and AU Professor Anton Fedyashin as a moderator. Carmel, as established, funds a Russian history and culture program at AU called the Carmel Institute. Carmel also has incredibly close ties to Vladimir Putin, who personally presented her with the Order of Frien