God Damnit Russia (Russian spies caught operating in the US)

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**ShumaGorath**

Ten arrested in US on charges of spying for Russia

Ten people have been arrested in the US for allegedly spying for the Russian government.

They were allegedly part of an operation where agents posed as ordinary citizens, some living together as couples for years.

They are charged with conspiracy to act as unlawful agents of a foreign government, a crime which carries up to five years in prison.

An 11th suspect remains at large, according to the US justice department.

Nine of them are also charged with conspiracy to launder money, which carries a 20-year prison sentence.

Alleged intercepted messages in court documents suggest they were asked to find information on topics including nuclear weapons, US arms control positions, Iran, White House rumours, CIA leadership turnover, and political parties.

'Infiltrate'
The US Department of Justice says eight of the suspects allegedly carried out "long-term, 'deep-cover' assignments" on US soil, working in civilian jobs so as not to arouse suspicion.

They were allegedly trained by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) to infiltrate policy-making circles and collect information, according to court papers filed in the US court for the southern district of New York.

They were told to befriend US officials and send information using various methods to Russian government handlers.

US officials said the spy-ring was discovered in a "multi-year investigation" by FBI agents who posed as Russian handlers and gleaned information from two of the suspects.

The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington says it is a story of Cold War era espionage with the tools and technology of the 21st Century.

Investigators say some of the agents had been using false identities since the early 1990s, using codes and engaging in advanced computer operations, including posting apparently innocent pictures on the internet which contained hidden text.

The FBI also reported observing older techniques, such as money being buried next to a beer-bottle marker and "brush pasts" in parks, where agents swap identical bags as they pass each other.

"You were sent to USA for long-term service trip," says one purported message to two of the suspects that was intercepted by US intelligence.

"Your education, bank accounts, car, house etc - all these serve one goal: fulfil your main mission, ie to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US and send intels."

'Americanised'
Generally, spies were allegedly tasked with becoming "Americanised" to be able to do this, with some pursuing university degrees, holding jobs, and joining relevant professional associations, court documents said.

The group allegedly got close to a scientist involved in designing bunker-busting bombs and a top former intelligence official.

Five of the suspects briefly appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Monday, where a judge ordered them to remain in prison until a preliminary hearing set for 27 July.

These included a couple known as "Richard Murphy" and "Cynthia Murphy", who were arrested in Montclair, New Jersey; Vicky Pelaez and a man known as "Juan Lazaro," who were arrested in Yonkers, New York state; and Anna Chapman, who was arrested in Manhattan, New York City.

Another three - Mikhail Semenko and a couple known as "Michael Zottoli" and "Patricia Mills" - will appear in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, after being arrested in Arlington, Virginia.

The final two people - a couple known as "Donald Howard Heathfield" and "Tracey Lee Ann Foley" - were arrested in Boston, Massachusetts, and will appear in a federal court in the city.

A suspect known as "Christopher R Metsos" remains at large.

All the suspects except Ms Chapman and Mr Semenko have also been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Our correspondent says the arrests will come as quite a surprise, as relations between Washington and Moscow have warmed considerably in recent months.

Just last week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was in Washington having lunch with President Barack Obama.

A senior government official told the BBC that it was unfortunate that such activity was taking place in the US, but should not affect the momentum established in the relationship with Russia.

Get ready to see some of the best backpedaling ever seen out of an asian government.

**Borkin**

Meh, not too different from US spy sattellites.

**ShumaGorath**

Borkin wrote:Meh, not too different from US spy sattellites.

It's true, we routinely send spy satellites to befriend and gain the trust of russian officials and political party members.

**Borkin**

ShumaGorath wrote:
Borkin wrote:Meh, not too different from US spy sattellites.

It's true, we routinely send spy satellites to befriend and gain the trust of russian officials and political party members.

Was about to edit my post so as to avoid posts like these, im sure America is getting plenty of information out of Russia, as is China/any world power, and vice versa.

**sebster**

Borkin wrote:Meh, not too different from US spy sattellites.

I really want this to be true. I really want there to be spy satellites up there, pretending to be weather satellites, entering pretend marriages with other spy satellites, having little baby satellites to keep their cover.

**dogma**

It will be interesting to see if a conviction can be secured.

**Kanluwen**

sebster wrote:
Borkin wrote:Meh, not too different from US spy sattellites.

I really want this to be true. I really want there to be spy satellites up there, pretending to be weather satellites, entering pretend marriages with other spy satellites, having little baby satellites to keep their cover.

This has promise to be a wacky sitcom.

Seb, start writing. I'll start building some satellites and we can make MILLIONS.

**WarOne**

Lol. In their defense, I believe the Russians were trying to understand the capitalist system as theirs was so ineptly instituted (granted, they had little to work with), that they sent over a few Russian plants to learn how a capitalist system works and make it work for more than a handful of Russian billionaires tied to industry and energy markets.

**ChaplainofAmon**

Not a big shocker at all, after WWII where do your think the Nazis went? I find it hard to imagine war criminals living out theyre days sipping drinks on a beach somewhere. The U.S. put them on payroll to help reverse engineer german tech. as well as provide U.S. Scientists valuable secrets of german Tech.

I hate bringing up an example without being able to recall the source of the information, there is a video of german and american scientists working together on Rockets for space missions. That alone isn't that alarming, until the tape was furthur examined and multipule top ranking officers wanted for war crimes in WWII where overseeing them in a U.S. lab.

Another point, and again I hate not being able to recall the documents providing the information, a plan was unearthed to infiltrate the U.S. and destroy it from the inside out. The plan included sending "drones" to infiltrate goverment positions and not only cross feed information but to actually corrupt these postions. This was found out not long after the cold war was over.

So overall, I wouldn't doubt that these Russian Spies where actually formerly employed by the U.S. and are now being used as scapegoats.

**IGLannister**

Filthy cossack sluts.

**youbedead**

ChaplainofAmon wrote: Not a big shocker at all, after WWII where do your think the Nazis went? I find it hard to imagine war criminals living out theyre days sipping drinks on a beach somewhere. The U.S. put them on payroll to help reverse engineer german tech. as well as provide U.S. Scientists valuable secrets of german Tech.

I hate bringing up an example without being able to recall the source of the information, there is a video of german and american scientists working together on Rockets for space missions. That alone isn't that alarming, until the tape was furthur examined and multipule top ranking officers wanted for war crimes in WWII where overseeing them in a U.S. lab.

Another point, and again I hate not being able to recall the documents providing the information, a plan was unearthed to infiltrate the U.S. and destroy it from the inside out. The plan included sending "drones" to infiltrate goverment positions and not only cross feed information but to actually corrupt these postions. This was found out not long after the cold war was over.

So overall, I wouldn't doubt that these Russian Spies where actually formerly employed by the U.S. and are now being used as scapegoats.

we would have never made it to the moon if it wasn't for von braun, and he was a commissioned member of the ss

**SilverMK2**

We'd better contact James Bond and withdraw him from service in America for a while until this cools down.

Not even a laser watch and jam trousers will keep him safe at the moment!

It is a shame, he'd even started to be able to drink coffee and spell things incorrectly - almost a perfect cover!

**Marshal2Crusaders**

Expect to see some US students arrested on charges of spying.

**Mr. Burning**

Its okay conpisracy theorists. Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan will sort this all out. He's over in Russia now preventing mad generals form launching nukes at CONUS soil.

That'll teach those stupid Russian peasants not to create a deep cover spy ring which will end up embarrassing American Security services, yet again.

**sebster**

Kanluwen wrote:
sebster wrote:
Borkin wrote:Meh, not too different from US spy sattellites.

I really want this to be true. I really want there to be spy satellites up there, pretending to be weather satellites, entering pretend marriages with other spy satellites, having little baby satellites to keep their cover.

This has promise to be a wacky sitcom.

Seb, start writing. I'll start building some satellites and we can make MILLIONS.

I've got an idea for the theme song;

"Satellite's gone up to the skies
Thing like that drive me out of my mind

I watched it for a little while
I like to watch things on TV

Satellite of love..."

**Wrexasaur**

Awesome.

**Scrabb**

ChaplainofAmon wrote: So overall, I wouldn't doubt that these Russian Spies where actually formerly employed by the U.S. and are now being used as scapegoats.

Scapegoats for what?

**dogma**

I'm still trying to figure out why Nazi scientists are relevant.

**Mr. Burning**

Scrabb wrote:
ChaplainofAmon wrote: So overall, I wouldn't doubt that these Russian Spies where actually formerly employed by the U.S. and are now being used as scapegoats.

Scapegoats for what?

Scapegoats for operation Manchurian Paperclip?

**ChaplainofAmon**

dogma wrote:I'm still trying to figure out why Nazi scientists are relevant.

I was using that as a reason why it's not shocking for the russain spies.

They wouldn't be publicly linked to the paper clip, thank you for throwing that in I couln't remember what it was called. They would be seen as being caught by the U.S. and used to show U.S. attempts to clean out scum, while blaming Russia for it.

**dogma**

ChaplainofAmon wrote:
I was using that as a reason why it's not shocking for the russain spies.

But in the case of the Nazi scientists the US government knowingly hired them. That is not similar to a case in which they, according to you, unknowingly hired Russian spies.

I say "according to you" because the state did not employ any of the accused. You really should read things.

ChaplainofAmon wrote:
They wouldn't be publicly linked to the paper clip, thank you for throwing that in I couln't remember what it was called. They would be seen as being caught by the U.S. and used to show U.S. attempts to clean out scum, while blaming Russia for it.

The entire incident has been rather lacking with respect to publicity, so I doubt that 'use' was a driving feature of the matter.

**Albatross**

dogma wrote:I'm still trying to figure out why Nazi scientists are relevant.

That's throwing me a little, too. I think he means that the Russians in question were working for the US government. I still fail to see what that has to do with 'Paperclip'.

There are undoubtedly Russians working for the CIA (and MI6) - keeping them on US soil seems a bit of a waste though. I'm thinking there's somewhere Russian CIA operatives might be more usefully employed... Where is it? It's on the tip of my tongue...No, it's gone.

WAIT, WAIT! I KNOW! Russian CIA agents would be more useful living incognito in RUSSIA!

**Mr. Burning**

ChaplainofAmon wrote:
dogma wrote:I'm still trying to figure out why Nazi scientists are relevant.

I was using that as a reason why it's not shocking for the russain spies.

They wouldn't be publicly linked to the paper clip, thank you for throwing that in I couln't remember what it was called. They would be seen as being caught by the U.S. and used to show U.S. attempts to clean out scum, while blaming Russia for it.

So American use of German scientsists (and Known members of the SS) means that...what I still cannot follow your reasoning.

The US hired Russians as spys and decided, when there was no futher use for them, to implicate them in a spy scandal to highlight Russia as a 'bad lot?'

I think you need to read up about Operation Paperclip (hint: a lot of Germans were used, some went home, some stayed and were granted US citizenship ,Braun was feted as a hero of American space rocketry. Ike thought being first in space was no big deal).

**Phryxis**

As I understand it, the Russians sent this woman to live in America, as an American:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/sexy_russian_spy_anna_chapman_2Zmmc1rSqu2H71x3v7BibM

YOUR LOSS, RUSSIA.

But thanks for strapping on some implants before you shipped her over.

**Samus_aran115**

Well, to be honest, I prefer Russian spies to Chinese spies. At least the Russians don't make our toothpaste.

**Orlanth**

I dont mind they are still spying, the sin is getting caught.

**Do_I_Not_Like_That**

Some people need to get a grip!

**dogma**

Phryxis wrote:As I understand it, the Russians sent this woman to live in America, as an American:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/sexy_russian_spy_anna_chapman_2Zmmc1rSqu2H71x3v7BibM

YOUR LOSS, RUSSIA.

But thanks for strapping on some implants before you shipped her over.

Perhaps she wanted to launch her modeling career?

Either way, Russia has a massive surplus of hot KGB women. Sean Connery told me so.

**Samus_aran115**

Bwahaha. 'Jap anus relations for 200, alex.'

**Brother SRM**

I almost feel reassured by Russians spying on us; it's baffling.