00:57Russia: CIA men wear wigs and carry wads of Euro 500 bills?
Russia: CIA men wear wigs and carry wads of Euro 500 bills?
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has declared alleged CIA agent Ryan Fogle a "persona non grata" and called for his "early expulsion." Fogle was detained briefly by the FSB for allegedly attempting to recruit an operative in the Russian security services.
According to the FSB, Fogle was an agent working under the guise of political third secretary in the US embassy in Moscow. Wearing a blonde wig, blue checked shirt and baseball cap, the American was detained in the Russian capital and held overnight on May 13 and 14 before being released to the US embassy. Footage detailing his personal possessions and images showing him being detained were released on video by the FSB.
The Russian agency said Fogle's belongings included special technical equipment, a large sum of money and means of changing a person's appearance -- including wigs and sunglasses. Also found was an alleged one-page letter of instruction for the Russian operative being recruited. The document proposes a one-off payment of US$100,000 (€77,154) for an interview to discuss possible cooperation and promises up to US$1 million (€771,545) a year for long-term collaboration, as well as bonus payments for any additional information provided.
The would-be recruit is also asked to create a Gmail account for future contacts. The letter stresses the importance of not including real contact information and of avoiding the use of handheld mobile devices for registration, suggesting an internet cafe as an alternative. The recruit should then send a message to a disclosed email address and wait one week for a reply.
The instruction ends: "Thank you for reading this. We look forward to working with you in the nearest future. Your friends."
US Ambassador to the Russian Federation Micheal McFaul has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry to give an explanation concerning the incident. The embassy has so far declined to comment.
Security cooperation between the two countries was deepened in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing. However, the FSB says the US recently made "several" attempts to flip Russian security officials and law enforcement officers. This latest scandal follows a "spy swap" between the two nations in Vienna in 2010, when the US exchanged 10 Russian agents expelled from America for four operatives held in Russia.
00:57NONE
Russia: CIA men wear wigs and carry wads of Euro 500 bills?
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has declared alleged CIA agent Ryan Fogle a "persona non grata" and called for his "early expulsion." Fogle was detained briefly by the FSB for allegedly attempting to recruit an operative in the Russian security services.
According to the FSB, Fogle was an agent working under the guise of political third secretary in the US embassy in Moscow. Wearing a blonde wig, blue checked shirt and baseball cap, the American was detained in the Russian capital and held overnight on May 13 and 14 before being released to the US embassy. Footage detailing his personal possessions and images showing him being detained were released on video by the FSB.
The Russian agency said Fogle's belongings included special technical equipment, a large sum of money and means of changing a person's appearance -- including wigs and sunglasses. Also found was an alleged one-page letter of instruction for the Russian operative being recruited. The document proposes a one-off payment of US$100,000 (€77,154) for an interview to discuss possible cooperation and promises up to US$1 million (€771,545) a year for long-term collaboration, as well as bonus payments for any additional information provided.
The would-be recruit is also asked to create a Gmail account for future contacts. The letter stresses the importance of not including real contact information and of avoiding the use of handheld mobile devices for registration, suggesting an internet cafe as an alternative. The recruit should then send a message to a disclosed email address and wait one week for a reply.
The instruction ends: "Thank you for reading this. We look forward to working with you in the nearest future. Your friends."
US Ambassador to the Russian Federation Micheal McFaul has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry to give an explanation concerning the incident. The embassy has so far declined to comment.
Security cooperation between the two countries was deepened in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing. However, the FSB says the US recently made "several" attempts to flip Russian security officials and law enforcement officers. This latest scandal follows a "spy swap" between the two nations in Vienna in 2010, when the US exchanged 10 Russian agents expelled from America for four operatives held in Russia.