If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Whelan was born in Canada and has since gained citizenship in the U.S., Britain and Ireland. Marine Paul Whelan as he remains in a Moscow prison over allegations of espionage. ![]() Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed the case is fabricated and that Butina entered the guilty plea because of the threat of a long prison sentence.Embassies of several countries are trying to assist ex-U.S. She pleaded guilty in December to a conspiracy charge as part of a deal with federal prosecutors. political groups as Donald Trump was seeking the presidency. custody after admitting she acted as a secret agent for the Kremlin in trying to infiltrate conservative U.S. ![]() The arrest comes as U.S.-Russian ties are severely strained, in part over Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.Ī Russian gun-rights activist, Maria Butina, is in U.S. He previously worked for Kelly Services, which does maintain offices in Russia, his brother said. She said BorgWarner does not have any facilities in Russia. "He is responsible for overseeing security at our facilities in Auburn Hills, Michigan and at other company locations around the world," company spokeswoman Kathy Graham said in a statement. He now lives in Novi, Michigan, and is director of global security for BorgWarner, where he has worked since early 2017. Paul Whelan did multiple tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps, his brother said. Paul Whelan had traveled to Russia in the past for work and to visit friends he had met on social networks, his brother said. Embassy in Moscow they have not been able to speak to Paul Whelan.ĭavid Whelan said he has no idea why his brother was targeted by the Russian security services. David Whelan said the family was told by the U.S. The State Department said Monday it had received formal notification from the Russian Foreign Ministry of the arrest and was pushing for consular access. "I was looking for any stories about dead Americans in Moscow, so in a way it was better than finding out that he had died," he said. The family feared he had been mugged or was in a car accident, David Whelan said, and it was when searching the internet on Monday that he learned of the arrest. "It was extraordinarily out of character," he said. ![]() and then he failed to show up that evening for the wedding, his brother said. The last time anyone heard from him was at about 5 p.m. The morning of his arrest, he had taken a group of wedding guests on a tour of the Kremlin museums. The Russian spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.ĭavid Whelan said in an interview that his brother had been to Russia several times previously, so when a fellow former Marine was planning a wedding in Moscow with a Russian woman he was asked to come along to help out. "His innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected." "We are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being," his family said in a statement that his brother David Whelan posted on Twitter. In announcing the arrest three days later, the Russian Federal Security Service said he was caught "during an espionage operation," but gave no details. ![]() Whelan, 48, who is head of global security for a Michigan-based auto parts supplier, was arrested on Friday. Marine arrested in Russia on espionage charges, was visiting Moscow over the holidays to attend a wedding when he suddenly disappeared, his brother said Tuesday.
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