How the FBI took down Russian spies living in the U.S. and posing as Americans

[crimsonaudio]

How the FBI took down Russian spies living in the U.S. and posing as Americans

Behind the suburban veneer, the spies were well trained operatives. At headquarters in Moscow, they had been given new, false identities and made-up backstories, referred to as their "legend." They also received extensive training about American culture. According to Kohler, they'll "watch American movies and watch American television. Their instructors are likely people who've spent time in the United States."

They learned the smallest details of how Americans go about their daily business. "They know how to go to a bank. They know how to order a Big Mac at McDonald's and not be strange about it," he said. They'd often operate in pairs, living together and working together in a host country under the guise of a married couple. The whole purpose, says Kohler, is to "live amongst the enemy and blend in and not stand out."

Their mission? Get close to American policy makers who had access to sensitive information that could be used by Russian Intelligence agents back in Moscow.

 

[B1GTide]

 

[rolltide_21]

Haha, this is exactly came to mind when I read the thread title.

 

[rolltide_21]

And, I thought this was going to be about a bust at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. .

 

[CrimsonTheory]

Who was in charge of the operation, Nick Fury?

Let's not forget about Anna Vasilyevna Chapman.

 

[Tidewater]

How the FBI took down Russian spies living in the U.S. and posing as Americans

Maybe I'm reading too much into the released info, but one in New York and the other in New Jersey, that tells me they were doing either (a) diplomatic espionage against people who work at the UN or (b) more likely, they were conducting financial espionage of the New York financial nexus.

Of course, we have such an open society, they could easily drive to DC or any other sensitive location, but New York has banks and the UN.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

U.S. Citizens and Russian Intelligence Officers Charged with Conspiring to Use U.S. Citizens as Illegal Agents of the Russian Government

A federal grand jury in Tampa, Florida, returned a superseding indictment charging four U.S. citizens and three Russian nationals with working on behalf of the Russian government and in conjunction with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to conduct a multi-year foreign malign influence...

www.justice.gov