Dallas' Channel 33 News Hires Alleged Smuggler Anna Fermanova

TV news is a competitive business in North Texas. In addition to cable news and Spanish channels, there are six networks broadcasting the local nightly news. TXA 21 broadcasts a 3-hour block of primetime news every weeknight. So, where does that leave KDAF 33? Trying something different, it seems.

On September 9, The 33 News at 9 aired a piece featuring a new celebrity commentator, Anna Fermanova, giving her take on Ashton and Demi. She criticized actress Demi Moore's sexy bikini pic on Twitter. Fermanova called Moore "blinded by love" and described the bikini Tweet as a desperate attempt for the 47-year-old cougar to prove her hotness in response to public allegations of Ashton Kutcher's infidelity. (For the record, Kutcher denies the allegation made by Star Magazine.) She suggested Moore earn positive press by following the example of Angelina Jolie, who visited flood-ravaged Pakistan.

Fermanova first garnered national notice after her July arrest for allegedly trying to smuggle three high-tech rifle scopes into Russia by concealing them in a pair of Ugg boots in her luggage. Customs Enforcement officers confiscated the scopes in March, but allowed Fermanova to board her flight to Russia from JFK. According to the "Dallas Morning News", U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Mondanaro says Fermanova admitted to removing the serial numbers from the scopes in an effort to keep them from being confiscated. The arrest took place months later in July when she returned from Russia.

The Plano woman was under house arrest for a couple of weeks, but is currently free to travel in North Texas and to make court appearances in New York. She is facing a felony charge for allegedly smuggling military technology, the rifle scopes, into Russia. Fermanova's attorney, Scott Palmer, explained the scopes were for her husband's Russian friend who hunts. She has yet to make a plea as her attorney and the U.S. Attorney's Office negotiate a deal.

Other infamous women have attracted prominent TV roles after making national headlines. Rachel Uchitel, one of Tiger Woods' mistresses, landed a correspondent job on "Extra". Donald Trump also courted her to appear on "Celebrity Apprentice", but ultimately retracted the offer after Uchitel chose to join Dr. Drew Pinsky on "Celebrity Rehab".

Ironically it was Fermanova's own provocative bikini pic and other photos on Facebook that led the "New York Post" to refer to her as a "Victoria Secret agent". Photos from the 24-year-old Richardson High graduate's Facebook page spread around the web and appeared in print as well.

For her broadcast sign off, Fermanova quipped, in part, "Some call me the sexy Russian..." The video and a written transcript are both currently available, and rated 'Most Viewed', on the KDAF 33 website.

Sources:
Anna Fermanova, "Her Take: Anna Fermanova on Ashton and Demi", The 33 News
"Accused Smuggler Anna Fermanova No Longer Under House Arrest", Dallas Morning News
Nancy Dillon, "Donald Trump Retracts Offer to Rachael Uchitel to Appear on 'Celebrity Apprentice' Next Year", NY Daily News
Jeremy Olshan and Janon Fisher, "'Scope Out' New Russian 'Spy' Hottie", NY Post
"Sexy Spy's North Texas Roots Started at Richardson High School", The 33 News