Federal authorities have apprehended a banker they believe to have been working as a Russian spy in New York City. The FBI says that he is connected to a Russian spy ring with at least two others.
Just in: FBI arrests Russian spy in the Bronx who was part of ring attempting to collect economic intelligence & recruit #NYC residents
— FBI New York (@NewYorkFBI) January 26, 2015
ABC reports that Evgeny Buryakov is accused of working with “Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, as a ‘non-official cover’ agent.” He is the Deputy Representative in the U.S. for former Soviet bank Vnesheconombank. The other two men, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy, both have “served as trade representatives to the Russian Federation in New York” reports Business Insider, with the latter having also been “an attache to the permanent mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations.”
From ABC:
Federal officials say the spy ring was tasked by Moscow with gathering information on, among other things, potential U.S. sanctions against Russia and U.S. efforts to develop alternative energy resources. The three allegedly worked for a particular division of Russian intelligence called “Directorate ER,” which “focuses on economic issues,” according to the complaint.
The FBI began tracking the trio after the 2010 arrests of Anna Chapman and nine other spies known as the “Illegals.” The trio is accused of trying to recruit female spies for Russia.
(Photo: Cliff)
