The detained former Marine had an interest in Russia, though. "We are not looking for an exchange, we are looking for justice for Paul," US Ambassador John Sullivan insisted, emerging from the verdict at Moscow City Court to a wall of microphones and cameras. He took a military leave of absence from Kelly Services, he testified, to serve in Iraq. Why was Whelan rejected for the Prisoners swap? Paul Whelan The company disclosed that it didnt have any facilities in Russia. All the signs so far suggest Moscow is opening with a high bid - Viktor Bout, a weapons dealer serving 25 years in America and Konstantin Yaroshenko, sentenced to 20 years for drugs smuggling. Mr Whelan, 52, was given a 16-year jail sentence in 2020 after being arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying in 2018. It has been nearly four years since Russian authorities arrested Paul Whelan in Moscow on charges of espionage. There was a lot of speculation about this and there was hope [that] Paul and his family had hoped he would finally return home to his very elderly parents, his lawyer Olga Karlova told The Post. "And a catastrophe for Paul". There was also speculation over other possible motives for the arrest - including a suggestion Mr Whelan was detained so he could be exchanged with Maria Butina, a Russian gun rights activist, who was jailed in the US in December 2018. Who is Paul Whelan? [24] According to attorneys for Whelan, they could not provide the name of Whelan's Russian friend due to Russian secrecy rules, but Whelan's family identified the person as Ilya Yatsenko, whom the Russian newspaper Kommersant described as a major in the FSB's Department "K", which monitors Russian economic crimes. It's possible he even introduced his parents to "Dmitry" on their 2009 trip to Russia, they can't be sure. Perhaps Whelan enjoyed the element of danger that came from flirting with the FSB, hanging out with intelligence officers. That was New Year's Eve 2018 and the start of a case that would embroil four western governments and pile pressure on relations with Russia that had already sunk to a post-Cold War low. President Biden said Thursday that those efforts have failed so far because Russia has decided to treat Whelans case differently given the nature of the espionage charges levied against him. Who is Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine held in Russia? "Trust is the most important thing when you are out there, living on the edge.". This is a punitive related discharge and there is a distinction between the two, however, he did receive a less than Honorable one. He was caught for bad conduct during his marine service. Mr Whelan continued to work for Kelly Services, being promoted to senior manager of global security and investigations in 2010. Russian lawyers for Whelan also lamented that their client was not included in the swap. Whelan has been detained in Russia for nearly four years and in August 2020, he was sent to prison camp IK-17 in the Mordovia region of Russia, some 210 miles east of Moscow. Paul Whelan was born in a British family in Canada and then shifted to the US during his childhood. Evidence shows that he was caught with a flash drive that contained highly classified information. But the space measures 9.5 square metres between two prisoners and exercise is one hour a day on the roof. "I can't imagine he [Paul] retains any hope that a government will negotiate his freedom at this point. Officers typically bide their time, he explains, calling it "calf-rearing", before a target is culled. "Had this been an independent court, they would have reached only one decision - not guilty," his lawyer, Vladimir Zherebyonkov said after the verdict. Rationalinsurgent is an online platform for the next-gen investors, buyers, and Crypto holders to explore and learn how digital assets and other cryptocurrencies Read More. Russia argues that Butina is a political prisoner. [30] He told Whelan's family that Paul was "in good health and good spirits", but that the family needed to supply all his incidental needs aside from basic foodstuffs. "This is 'Lubyanka' where the KGB has our spies locked in the basement!! Odds are he did something wrong. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The American disappeared without trace for three days until his twin stumbled across a news report announcing that his brother had been charged with espionage. He was formally charged on January 3, 2019. The photograph dates from Whelan's first trip to Moscow, made while he was serving with the US military in Iraq. "Whelan, do you understand the sentence?" The Whelan family eventually found a name and even a photograph. The Puzzling Story of Accused Russian Spy Paul Whelan Whelan, his family and the U.S. government have repeatedly stated that the charges are baseless and that he was framed. He is currently facingChargesof16 years imprisonmentunder the IK-17 penal colony of the Mordovia region, located in east Moscow. Irish officials say a man being detained by Russia, Paul Whelan, has requested help from the Irish government and report they will do what they can to come to his aid. 2023 BBC. "If bad actors like Russia are going to grab innocent Americans, the US needs a swifter, more direct response, and to be prepared in advance," he added. "Secrecy, provocation and falsification, that's the arsenal of our opponents," says Ivan Pavlov, a human rights lawyer who has gone up against the FSB in many espionage cases. Whelan, a 48-year-old former Marine and security director for a U.S. company, was arrested a week ago in Moscow, accused of spying. "[12], When arrested in Russia, Whelan was director of global security and investigations for BorgWarner, an international automotive parts manufacturer based in Michigan. Cellmates get to shower once a week, together, in the basement. The defence team said the Russian had requested a loan to buy a gift for his wife, as part of his trap. WATCH NEXT: President Trump Attempts To Explain USSR-Afghanistan History. Relations between Moscow and London are at a low point in the wake of Britains allegations that Russian military intelligence agents were behind the nerve-agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury in March. COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS WASHINGTON, D.C. - Navy That year he told a Marines news site that he'd taken advantage of a programme that funded a two-week break abroad for those on long deployments. 26 Aug. 2008, https://www.jag.navy.mil/courts/documents/archive/2008/WHELAN,%20P.N.%20200800152%20PCE.pdf. Paul Whelan arrives handcuffed and holds a personal statement up in court, Paul Whelan was a US police officer when he was younger, Paul Whelan as a US marine and the front gate at his parents' property, The town of Sergiev Posad is home to the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church - the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius, Paul Whelan's lawyers Vladimir Zherebyonkov and Olga Karlova, Norwegian citizen Frode Berg in a Moscow courtroom, January 2019, US Ambassador John Sullivan outside court after Paul Whelan's sentencing, The high wall and barbed wire of Lefortovo jail, The K-shaped buildings of Moscow's Lefortovo prison, Undated photo of Konstantin Yaroshenko (left) and Viktor Bout in 2010. Paul Whelan still wondering why he was left behind in Russia, Russia responded with a mirror mass expulsion of Western diplomats. He was convicted at a special court-martial in January 2008 on several charges related to larceny and was given a bad-conduct discharge in December 2008 at the rank of private. WebPaul Whelan may refer to: . So the prisoner who has always called himself a political hostage is now looking to the politicians to do a deal for his release. His job included campus security as well as electronic and IT-related security. The US government speculated the return of Paul Whelan for Maria Butina from Russia, a gun activist. [36][e], On June 15, 2020, Whelan was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison for espionage by a court in Moscow. Paul Whelan, the U.S. citizen and former Marine detained in Russia on espionage charges, was reportedly convicted of attempting to steal roughly ten grand from Uncle Sam while deployed to Iraq in 2006, By [22], The BBC cited family members of Whelan, who said he previously bragged about knowing an agent of the FSB, and was privy to an unusual cache of personal details about his friend, including which intelligence training school he attended (biographical information typically reserved for a very close circle). The surge in East-West tensions has made espionage both more complex - and more urgent - in recent years. He's the kindest soul! UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. PAUL N. WHELAN. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes, he said while applauding Griners release. He says his brother's VK messages were deleted after his arrest. 2023 BBC. Britains foreign secretary says Russia is trying to use a man detained as an alleged spy as a pawn in its geopolitical games. | At the time, he was identified only as an American but officials say Whelan also has British citizenship. The Marine Corps released Whelan's service record, showing that hewas convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. Coint, Prediction. [4][c] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "We've made clear to the Russians our expectation that we will learn more about the charges, come to understand what it is he's been accused of and if the detention is not appropriate, we will demand his immediate return. Free Press staff writers Todd Spangler, JC Reindl, and USA Today'sDeirdre Shesgreen and Tom Vanden Brook contributed to this report. "I'm not allowed to give you details, but I can tell you I was set-up. After the Salisbury poisoning in early 2018, more than 100 Russian diplomats identified as intelligence agents were expelled from embassies around the world in a co-ordinated act of protest. So we were eligible for British and Canadian citizenship because we were born in Canada to British parents. Read about our approach to external linking. From 2010 to 2016 Whelan was Kelly Services' senior manager of global security and operations. Here's what this means for the future of other American hostages. Paul Whelan, the global security director for a U.S. company, was arrested a week ago in Moscow. Its clear that the U.S. government has no concessions that the Russian government will take for Paul Whelan. His service ended after he was convicted at a The minute the American was convicted, the focus shifted to a possible prisoner swap. In early 2019, the drama of his now multi-national arrest was developing against a hostile political backdrop, with mutual sanctions over the Ukraine crisis and East-West tension not felt since Soviet times. He'll need to buy things like razors, toilet paper, soap, things that would be on-hand anywhere else. But in 2008 Mr Whelan, who had achieved the rank of staff sergeant, was discharged from the marines for bad conduct. "[31] On January 4, 2019, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "We don't agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games We are all extremely worried about him and his family. The day the verdict was announced, Whelan said he thought it was a foregone conclusion, and shouted from within a glass-enclosed area in the courtroom that Russia feels impotent in the world, so theyre taking political hostages.. James B. Hoke/U.S. I dont understand why Im still sitting here.. He is also a serving intelligence officer. The Russian government declared Paul Whelan guilty long ago. (Cpl. "Really, an exchange should be equal," he said. But Whelan chatted openly to relatives on email about his friend, including which "FSB school" he'd attended. [7], He was an IT manager for the Kelly Services staffing company from 2001[8] to 2003, and then 2008 to 2010. ", he joked in 2007 on a personal website. Officials have now confirmed that Whelan holds U.S., British and Irish citizenship. [7] He took military leave from Kelly Services to serve with the Marine Corps Reserve from 2003 to 2008, including service in Iraq. Its unclear why Moscow officials were so eager to bring him home. According to various reports, Paul Whelan served the Kelly services company after his dishonorable discharge and got a promotion in 2010. ", Whelan breezily told his parents after one Facetime chat with the Russian. On June 15, 2020, he received a 16-year prison sentence. The first time I saw Whelan in court, well over a year ago, he arrived with a weak smile and a brown cardboard box hugged to his chest containing a packed prison lunch. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Whelan was caught red-handed, during a spy mission. So he just thought it's an opportunity to have that, so why not? ", US envoy visits spy suspect held in Russia, Brother of detained American speaks. (Video: Rich Matthews/The Washington Post), Essential reporting from around the world. [32], On January 3, 2019, Whelan's attorney, Vladimir Zherebenko,[d] said he was seeking his release on bail. What are your opinions for this swap? Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. "I'm trying to focus on immediate goals, so I don't get distracted by how awful it is that he could spend 16 years behind bars," David Whelan told me, imagining how his twin would have felt, convicted of spying and heading back to his prison cell. It is in this context that the nature of Whelan's discharge from the Marines received renewed attention. Its pages document the trip with shots of tourist spots and captions laden with exclamation marks. @dsgordon @nowthisnews Whelan's military record is rife with criminal activity which resulted in a Bad Conduct Discharge. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr. met with Whelan on January 2, 2019, while Whelan was in Russian custody. In December 2018, while on a trip to attend a friend's wedding in Russia, Whelan was detained by Federal Security Service (FSB) agents. Her release was secured via a prisoner exchange in which U.S. authorities released convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Please comment. Some do have clear military connections - including photographs in uniform - though not all, and no-one who replied to my messages had seen any reason to doubt Whelan's motives. The former US Marine - who also has British, Irish and Canadian citizenship - has always insisted on his innocence, and in court this week he described himself the victim of "greasy, slimy Russian politics". Paul Whelan is being held in the renovated wing, where the Norwegian says there is hot water in the cells now as well as a fridge, TV and toilet. His family says he was in Moscow to attend a friends wedding. Whelan, who at the time of his arrest was the head of global security for a US-based car parts firm, began to denounce the charge of espionage as "ridiculous", and declare that he was being tried by a "kangaroo court". He was flanked by FSB guards, faces covered so they couldn't be identified. Since his first visit in 2006, Mr Whelan made a number of other trips to Russia and developed an in-depth knowledge of the country. It was while serving in the marines that he made his first trip to Russia, a visit he detailed on his website, which was shut down several years ago. Whelan was discharged for bad conduct in 2008 after being convicted of several charges related to larceny, according to the records," the newspaper wrote. ago. Paul Whelan Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime. An entire section of his old website is dedicated to the cute cartoon character Cheburashka, describing the big-eared, wide-eyed creature as "one good thing to come from the Soviet era". In one email exchange during his early 2018 trip to Moscow, a relative joked: "Don't get into any trouble we can't get you out of, haha!". ((This Dec. 8 story has been corrected to fix paragraph 8 to make clear Whelan was given a bad-conduct discharge from the Marine Corps, not a dishonourable discharge).) "We never see or meet other prisoners. The American refused and as his time in custody was extended repeatedly, he gradually grew bolder in court. Some critics of Biden have faulted him for not bringing Whelan back, often citing Whelan's service in the Marines as part of that argument. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes. He described his fellow inmates as quite welcoming.. Whelan's family are already pushing for action after a sentence that his brother, David, called "a gut punch'. David Whelan, meanwhile, has dismissed the allegations as nonsense. Whelan, the 48-year-old global security director for a U.S. auto parts company, was arrested Dec. 28 in Moscow. Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Accessed 9 Dec. 2022. And yet, unknown to those closest to him, Paul had been court-martialled for trying to steal more than $10,000 from the US government. Specifically, he received a "Bad Conduct Discharge" handed down by a special court martial. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his Bad Conduct. Almost 18 months later, Whelan has been convicted of spying - receiving Russian state secrets - after a short trial conducted entirely behind closed doors. Paul Whelan - Wikipedia Was Paul Whelan given a bad-conduct discharge from the Marines? Odds are he did something wrong. On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called on Washington to show "humanity" and release Yaroshenko "and other unjustly convicted" Russians. Another link leads to a homemade guide to the Cyrillic alphabet and some basic first words in Russian. It does not have any facilities in Russia. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. Paul Whelan's travels in Russia began more than a decade ago. He again joined the marines in 2004 and then in 2006. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. The appropriate social media access links are given below. Paul Whelan Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Pentagon, It was an Automobile component distributor company. the man replied to my enquiries, adding that his own interest was in the ex-Marine's time in Iraq. "If I do that, I'll be in a bad way," Whelan told me, warily. '," a former colleague, Skotti Fietsam, told the BBC. (Reuters) - Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian penal colony on espionage charges, did not figure in a prisoner exchange on The case was immediately big news that grew further when it emerged that Whelan was a citizen of four countries. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. MILITARY JUSTICE QUICK GUIDE. In a trial the U.S. criticized as unfair, Whelan was convicted of spying and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian penal colony. "The intelligence community would never use someone with that past, especially in a situation like this when you'd be sent into a very, very difficult environment," argues Ryan Fayhee, the family's lawyer in the US who cites intelligence contacts from his days prosecuting cases of counter-espionage. Nine months earlier, the UK had accused Russia of poisoning Sergei Skripal, a former double-agent, on the streets of Salisbury. The man Whelan accuses of framing him was one of his oldest friends in Russia. Paul Whelan's lawyers have now confirmed that he was being watched for some time and his communications monitored. They also said he owed Whelan around 80,000 roubles ($1,147; 930) which the FSB claimed was advance payment for intelligence. When the judge returned to court, to extend his stay in prison once again, Whelan's frustration erupted. Biden called those espionage allegations totally illegitimate charges., Biden said his administration has not forgotten about Paul Whelan, and promised to keep negotiating in good faith for his release., Meanwhile, Whelan said Thursday that he is greatly disappointed that the government has not done more to secure his release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. ", the American wrote back. ", US 'outraged' as Russia jails American for spying. Last year, he was sent to solitary confinement for a month. The link led to Maxim, who explained that his new friend, Paul Whelan, was helping with his English which he planned to study at university. Paul Whelan was a former marine who was given a bad conduct discharge many years prior to his arrest in Russia in 2018. In Frode Berg's case, the Norwegian government stayed quiet. Sentenced to a high-security prison, Paul Whelan won't be leaving Lefortovo just yet. Because Whelan received a bad conduct discharge, the claim that Paul Whelan received a punitive discharge from the Marines is "True.". 18 under supervision of the Russian Federation's Federal Penitentiary Service. Paul Whelan AP NEWS, 8 Dec. 2022, https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-michigan-united-states-government-russia-bbf0c7e3029fea40d604b11fd271533f. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Quite dilapidated. The former Marine said he was living in quite crowded spaces and estimated that his building housed 50 to 60 people. "He was always absolutely positive about the [Marines] experience. The Salisbury poisoning: What happened next? The Latest: Marines provide details of Whelan court-martial He worked in the 2000s as an IT project manager for Kelly Services Company. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his. Paul Whelan received a "bad conduct discharge" from the Marines in 2008. [44] After negotiations, only Griner was exchanged for Bout on December 8, 2022, as the Kremlin had refused to release Whelan and posed an ultimatum to the Biden administration of freeing Griner or no one. (Reuters) - Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian penal colony on espionage charges, did not figure in a prisoner exchange on She was deported back to Russia in October 2019. Kristen Jordan Shamus - Detroit Free Press. [42] On July 27, 2022, it was announced that President Joe Biden had offered a trade for Whelan and WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was arrested in Russia in February on drug charges, in exchange for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed "The Merchant of Death". Whelan's arrest comes just two weeks after alleged Russian spy Maria Butina pleaded guilty in the US to conspiracy charges. MOSCOW (AP) The Latest on the American man being held in Moscow on alleged spying charges (all times local): The Marine Corps is providing details on the court-martial of an American man who has been detained by Russia on spying charges. "If you've got mixed up in something like this, then you're in the most complicated story of your life," Ivan Pavlov says. In 2001, Whelan began work at Kelly Services, a Troy-based company that offers consulting, temporary workers and workforce solutions to businesses around the world. He joined the Marine Reserves May 10, 1994,and was an administrative clerk and administrative chief. As he still works for the FSB, I can't identify him so I'll call him "Dmitry". New details have emerged about the military history Novi businessman Paul Whelan, who has been accused of spying in Russia. A national security official said Thursday that Whelan was never really an option for the Russians during the negotiations about freeing Griner, and that due to the nature of the espionage charges against him, Russians rejected all the proposals U.S. officials presented them. "Moscow City Courtfinds Paul Nicholas Whelan guilty," he read from the typed sheet, adding that the 16-year sentence would be served in a high-security facility for the most dangerous offenders. "He has friends in other countries with a military background, I think it was a social thing," David Whelan argues. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Just two weeks after his arrest, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the American had been caught "red-handed" conducting a "concrete, illegal act". "His experience of having already been to the Kremlin and having already walked around Red Square and navigating the metro, his friend felt Paul could assist a bunch of Americans who hadn't otherwise ever been to Moscow," David Whelan said. Why did he face dishonorable discharge? ", Zherebenko has worked on the high-profile international case of a Russian accused of. Paul Whelan as a US marine and the front gate at his parents' property And yet, unknown to those closest to him, Paul had been court-martialled for trying to steal He left the company in 2016, moving to become director of global security for US-based automotive components supplier BorgWarner. Since entering Russian custody, Whelan has faced changing conditions. The lawyer warns that the FSB is the "mightiest secret service, not only in Russia," and uses its own experts to examine any evidence for the court. And then, the Irish changed the law in the early part of the century to allow grandchildren of Irish citizens to get Irish citizenship. Paul Whelan, 52, is a Marine turned corporate security executive who was convicted of espionage and is serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian prison. True. He worked as an administrative clerk and chief before being discharged in 2008 for bad conduct. He was convicted at a special court-martial in January 2008 on several charges related to larceny and was given a bad-conduct discharge in December 2008 at the rank of private. For his crimes, he was ultimately discharged from the Marine Corps for bad conduct, a ruling he unsuccessfully attempted to appeal. 6 Top-Notch Dental Courses Online for Beginners in 2023, What is a Token Burn? It seems unusual behaviour if he was trying to recruit the man for US intelligence. Russia freed Brittney Griner in a high-profile prisoner exchange with the U.S. Reuters, 8 Dec. 2022. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/paul-whelan-ex-us-marine-jailed-russia-spying-charges-2022-12-08/. Whelan, 48, was arrested Friday in Moscow, and was charged with espionage. The Pentagon, which released his records, said the charges related to larceny. Whelan's family, for their part, have been supportive of Griner's release. Though U.S. President Joe Biden had been attempting to secure the release of both Griner and Whelan in one move, Russian authorities refused to include Whelan in any trade. Russia has not publicly presented any evidence to support the charges against Whelan. Whelan was born on March 5, 1970,[4] in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,[5] to British parents with Irish heritage. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. How long has Paul Whelan been held in a Russian penal colony? [8], He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1994. Whelan was friends with young servicemen in the US, though, too. Eleven years later, its officers would drive him there for interrogation. Who is Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine held in Russia? ", List of American people imprisoned in Russia, "U.S. citizen arrested in Russia on spying charges", "As American Sits In Moscow Jail, Russia Says U.S. Has Detained One Of Its Citizens", "Paul Whelan: the strange case of the ex-marine jailed for spying in Russia", "Paul Whelan's twin opens up about Russia spy allegations, citizenship", "U.S. ambassador meets with Ottawa-born man arrested in Russia on spying charges", "American Paul Whelan was in Russia for wedding, not to spy, family says", "American charged with espionage in Russia has an unlikely background for a spy", "Meet Putin's American Prisoner, Paul Whelan", "Accused spy Paul Whelan was discharged from Marines for bad conduct", "New details emerge about Novi resident accused of spying in Russia", "Spy or Not? American Paul Whelan was discharged from the Marines Specifically, he received a "Bad Conduct Discharge" handed down by a special court martial. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.
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