Paul Whelan, a U.S. Citizen was arrested in Moscow on December 28, the Russian security services say that he had been “carrying out an act of espionage.” His arrest comes less than a month after Russian national, Maria Butina, 30, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to spying on the United States. Butina had been mostly known for activities with the National Rifle Association.
Whelan was arrested by the Federal Security Service in Russia, the successor to the KGB. Prior to the presidency of Donald Trump, the FSB in Russia had worked closely with the U.S. in the fight against terrorism. In June 2018, the Treasury Department sanctioned the FSB for their role in hacking during the 2016 presidential election.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Whelan Could Face Up to 20 Years in Prison
TASS reports that if found guilty, Whelan could face between 10 and 20 years in prison. TASS is Russia’s state-run news agency. The article refers to Whelan being accused of violating “article 276 of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation. The investigation is underway.” Article 276 is the law regarding espionage. The specific details about Whelan’s alleged spying have not been revealed.
GettyPresident Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian government has “formally notified” the U.S. Embassy in Moscow about Whelan’s arrest, according to an official statement. In a statement to CNN, the U.S. State Department said, “Russia’s obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it. Due to privacy considerations, we have no additional information to provide at this time.”
While a statement from Russian officials said, “All the information that can currently be provided on the question of the detention of US citizen Paul Nicholas Whelan is contained in the comments of the FSB of Russia. For our part, we can additionally inform that the US Embassy in Moscow, in strict accordance with the bilateral consular convention, was promptly notified of the fact of detention.”
2. A Man Named Paul Whelan Was Involved in the Planning of World Cup 2018 in Russia
Paul Whelen @match accommodation warns there is an accommodation challenge in Moscow book early! @ANTOR_Travel watch 01 December games draw, everyone who books a room gets a room is a priority!
In October 2017, a man named Paul Whelan was listed as the Executive director at MATCH Accommodation for the World Cup in Russia in 2018. Whelan was quoted in a Sputnik News article about hotel pricing in Russia around the tournament. Whelan spoke in favor of a Russian law which regulated hotel prices in the country during the summer of 2018.
In 2014, that Paul Whelan worked with his father, Raymond Whelan, on the World Cup in Brazil in a similar capacity, according to a Globo report. Raymond Whelan was later caught-up in and acquitted of being involved in an illegal ticketing ring surrounding the World Cup.
3. A Russian Cop Has Just Been Sentenced in Moscow for ‘Providing Classified Data to a Foreign National’
In December 2018, a former Russian police officer, Aleksey Zhitnyuk, 24, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for “providing classified data to a foreign national.” Reports in Russia said that the trial of Zhitnyuk took place in private with few details being made public. One Russian report said that Zhitnyuk had been in contact with the CIA. That same report says that Zhitnyuk had been recruited to spy on the Russian Navy for U.S. Intelligence. Zhitnyuk is accused of treason. He has denied all of the charges against him. Zhitnyuk was accused of giving classified information to Norweigan spy Frode Berg.
In October 2018, the Department of Justice in the U.S. accused seven Russian nationals of being military intelligence operatives in the U.S. Those men were charged with hacking and wire fraud.
4. Earlier in December 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin Spoke of the ‘Law of Retaliation’
On December 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his end-of-year address in Moscow. Putin told the media, “the law of retaliation states, ‘An eye of an eye or a tooth for a tooth. We will not arrest innocent people simply to exchange them for someone else later on.” While speaking specifically about Maria Butina, Putin said, “I do not understand why they put her there in the first place. There were simply no grounds for it.”
A day before Whelan’s arrest was announced, Putin released a formal greeting to Donald Trump in which he stated the importance of “ensuring strategic stability and international security.” Puttin also “reaffirmed that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the most extensive agenda.”
5. Maria Butina Is Likely to Be Deported from the U.S. Without Serving Any Prison Time
Maria Butina pictured in October 2013.
In November 2018, Maria Butina’s lawyers said that they had entered into plea negotiations with federal prosecutors. A month later, Butina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to act as an illegal foreign agent. One charge of failure to register as a foreign agent had been dropped. Despite facing a potential prison sentence of five years, multiple reports say that Butina will most likely be deported to Russia without serving any time.
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Butina was believed to have been lobbying members of the Republican Party and the National Rifle Association.
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