FBI Breaks Up ‘Deep Cover’ Russian Spy Ring
The FBI has arrested 10 alleged Russian spies and broken up a "long term, deep cover" network of agents that spent years adopting American identities and gathering an array of intelligence.
The Guardian reports that the FBI alleges that the Russian intelligence service, the SVR, sent spies to live in the US under false names with the intent of becoming so Americanized they could build relationships with sources and gather information without raising suspicion.
The accused spies were said to able to get close to a scientist working with "bunker-buster" nuclear bombs and a New York financier with powerful political ties. But the intercepts do not suggest they were successful at uncovering valuable information and some of the exchanges with Moscow appear almost laughable in their simplicity.
The FBI said that the deep cover agents were called "Illegals" by Moscow. The Wall Street Journal adds that an intercepted message from the SVR to two of the alleged spies outlined their mission. It read: "Fulfill your main mission, i.e. to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US and send intels (intelligence reports) to C (Centre)."
Bloomberg notes that the arrests were made in Arlington, Virginia - close to the Pentagon and CIA headquarters - and in New York, Boston and New Jersey. One of the detained couples lives on the west coast, in Seattle. The justice department said one other alleged spy, who is accused of delivering payments to members of the ring, is still being sought. Each of the 10 has been charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government. According to The Guardian they face up to five years in prison if convicted although it is possible that more serious charges will be added. The alleged spies are also accused of money laundering. Bloomberg suggests the defendants may face as long as 20 years in prison.
Associated Press adds that in federal court in Manhattan, Assistant US Attorney Michael Farbiarz called the allegations "the tip of the iceberg" of the SVR to collect inside US information.