Russian spy case 'right out of a John le Carr茅 novel'
| New York
At just about the same time President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev were chowing down at Ray鈥檚 Hell Burger in Washington Thursday, FBI agents were closing in a Russian spy ring.
With one of the alleged spies about ready to leave the country Sunday, the FBI closed in, arresting 10 people 鈥� some of who had been in the US sending intelligence back to Moscow for a long time, according to court papers unsealed Monday.
The court papers offer details on their lives and activities: Many of those arrested were couples sent to the US with fake identification, using American names like Murphy and Heathfield and Foley. Some names were picked from deceased individuals. And some raised families to an attempt to blend in.
In addition, the spy ring told handlers back in Moscow that they had gotten information from a former US legislative counsel to Congress on turnover at the head of the CIA, made contact with an individual who works for a US research facility that works on small yield, high penetration nuclear warheads, and planned to start to build a network of students in Washington. [Editor's note: The original version of this paragraph misstated the agency where high-level turnover is said to have occurred.]
From the court papers it does not appear that any of the spies provided the same sort of information as former FBI agent Robert Hanssen who was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2002 for spying for the Soviet Union and Russia for two decades. His spying played a role in the deaths of at least three US spies.
鈥淚t鈥檚 right out of a John le Carr茅 novel,鈥� says Stan Twardy, a former US attorney for the state of Connecticut and now a partner at Day Pitney LLP in Stamford, Conn. 鈥淚t will interesting to see how it plays out next couple of days and weeks from an international point of view and law enforcement point of view.鈥�
What's next for the accused
From a law enforcement point of view, the US is expected to convene a grand jury to issue an indictment.
On Friday, the US issued a complaint. According to a Justice Department spokesman, Dean Boyd, an indictment sometimes follows a criminal complaint within 30 days. The complaint charges the 10 people 鈥� an eleventh person is still being sought 鈥� with conspiring to act as unlawful agents of the Russian federation. Nine of the individuals are also charged with money laundering.
It鈥檚 not clear if Mr. Obama knew about the spy ring as he was meeting with Mr. Medvedev. But Mr. Twardy says it would be normal to brief people in the White House and State Department.
The Justice Department is opposed to any bail for the individuals, the Justice Department's Mr. Boyd says.
The court papers say the accused individuals were on 鈥渓ong-term deep-cover assignments.鈥�
It鈥檚 fairly clear the FBI was on to this group for some time. The FBI monitored conversations within their homes, listened to their short-wave radio broadcasts, and watched group members make secret exchanges with members of the Russian delegation.
It does not appear any of the accused individuals ever got a job in the US government that would give them access to top secret information. The court papers say they were concerned that their fake identities would be discovered in a background check. So, instead, they tried to insinuate themselves into the company of high level policymakers.
The life of an alleged spy
One of the papers details how one of the defendants, 鈥�Cynthia Murphy,鈥� had several work-related personal meetings with a prominent New York financier who was active in fundraising and was a personal friend of an unnamed cabinet official.
Moscow Center checked out the financier and called him 鈥渁 very interesting target.鈥� The spies handlers in Moscow advised "Ms. Murphy" to 鈥渢ry to build up a little by little relations with him moving beyond just (work) framework. Maybe he can provide (Murphy) with remarks re US foreign policy, roumors (stet) about White House internal kitchen, invite her to venues (to major political party HQ in NYC, for instance,鈥tc. In short consider carefully all options in regard to (financier).鈥�
The documents also show the stresses and strains on the individuals. In one exchange, the 鈥淢urphys鈥� tell Moscow they would like to purchase the house where they are living in Montclair, N.J. However, the Russians want it to be owned by Moscow Center. The Murphys remind them owning a house is considered a symbol of status in the US, but they accede to Moscow鈥檚 wishes.
In another exchange, one of the alleged spies, 鈥�Juan Lazaro,鈥� is complaining to his female companion, 鈥�Vicky Pelaez,鈥� that Moscow does not like his information because it does not have any sources named in it. Ms. Pelaez then yells at him, 鈥淧ut down any politician from here!鈥� And, Mr. Lazaro apparently agrees, adding, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to give them what they want. But, I鈥檓 going to continue what I鈥檓 telling them.鈥�
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