Evidence shows that he was caught with a flash drive that contained highly classified information. Eleven years later, its officers would drive him there for interrogation. He left the company in 2016, moving to become director of global security for US-based automotive components supplier BorgWarner. "And a catastrophe for Paul". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It's possible he even introduced his parents to "Dmitry" on their 2009 trip to Russia, they can't be sure. A scroll through their profiles, soon after his arrest, revealed almost all to be men - most considerably younger than him. The Pentagon, which released his records, said the charges related to larceny. Dan McCafferty Nazareth: Know Cause of Death! ET Friday in San Antonio. He apparently had four passports, which he is said to have collected for fun. Paul Whelan was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2008 following a special court-martial. He says his brother's VK messages were deleted after his arrest. [45], Whelan's brother David Whelan approved of the decision to "make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to happen. Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime. Whelan, 48, was arrested Friday in Moscow, and was charged with espionage. 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. One replied to tell me he'd been a student and supermarket night-guard when the American first made contact. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes. (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 In terms of severity of punishment, this form of discharge is second to and distinct from a dishonorable discharge. (Cpl. 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. [2][3] He was arrested in Russia on December 28, 2018, and accused of spying. Cleve R. Wootson Jr. contributed to this report. [16][17][18] Whelan's twin brother David said Whelan arrived in Moscow on December 22 to attend the wedding of a former fellow Marine at the Hotel Metropol Moscow and to assist the groom's family members on their first visit to Russia, a country he had visited many times. "It just wouldn't happen," Fayhee believes. It is in this context that the nature of Whelan's discharge from the Marines received renewed attention. He said his brother planned to return to Michigan on January 6, 2019, via Saint Petersburg. he asked. The independent Latvian-based publication Meduza reported that the wedding attendees all banded close together for the duration of the holiday, and were taken aback by Whelan's decision to spend the day alone. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. He again joined the marines in 2004 and then in 2006. Both Ireland and the U.K. have asked that their diplomats be allowed to visit him. As described in a military justice fact sheet, this is "one of two types of punitive discharges that may be imposed on an enlisted person" and is "less severe than a Dishonorable Discharge.". [4], Whelan lived in Novi, Michigan, prior to detainment in Russia.[49]. While not as severe as a dishonorable discharge, a bad conduct discharge is a significant punishment in the U.S. military justice system. Since his arrest, the Marine Corps has disclosed that he was discharged in 2008 for bad conduct, a revelation that "absolutely stunned" his twin brother David. He started as an IT project manager for a company called Kelly Services in the early 2000s, but deployed with the marines within a couple of years on the first of two tours to Iraq, in 2004 and then 2006. Mr Whelan continued to work for Kelly Services, being promoted to senior manager of global security and investigations in 2010. More details on Whelans professional life, Wisconsin Volleyball Team Leaked Nudes Reddit: Check Links for Pictures, Cryptopunk NFT Price (Aug 2021) How To Buy? The convening authority approved the sentence as adjudged.2 We have Twin brother of Novi man accused of spying in Russia: He's innocent, US wants access to Michigan man held in Moscow on spy charges, Novi businessman, 48, accused of 'spy mission' in Russia, 'Does not fit any spy': What made accused Russian spy Maria Butina different. [7] A former colleague said he was a patrol officer from 1998 to 2000 in the Keego Harbor police department. The image was of the headquarters of Russia's notorious security services, now known as the FSB. If he's a spy, then I'm Michael Jackson!!!!" But when I asked for his side of the story, his eyes flicked towards the guards. So he just thought it's an opportunity to have that, so why not? Odds are he did something wrong. In 2016 he left the company and became the director for global security in a US-based company. [7], He was an IT manager for the Kelly Services staffing company from 2001[8] to 2003, and then 2008 to 2010. ", US 'outraged' as Russia jails American for spying. I did not commit a crime," Whelan said, telling me that a friend had turned-up at his hotel that evening unannounced. Image Via KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images. @dsgordon @nowthisnews Whelan's military record is rife with criminal activity which resulted in a Bad Conduct Discharge. Officials say the American ex-Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship. Filming was barred at all future hearings to stop the press capturing any more protests. The Pentagon, True. He worked in the 2000s as an IT project manager for Kelly Services Company. "[21] As of January 4, British and Irish consular officials were seeking access to Whelan. ", Another man gave his friend a sightseeing tour of his own town that same year. "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. Also Read Wisconsin Volleyball Team Leaked Nudes Reddit: Check Links for Pictures. Whelan received a "bad conduct discharge" from the Marines in 2008. (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 He has studied Russian but communicated online using Google Translate. Specifically, he received a "Bad Conduct Discharge" handed down by a special court martial. "[12], When arrested in Russia, Whelan was director of global security and investigations for BorgWarner, an international automotive parts manufacturer based in Michigan. According to court documents, he was in charge of the company's campus security group, and his duties included managing and conducting investigations, as well as handling some purchasing. 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. To be correct, the Marines did not give Paul Whelan a Dishonorable Discharge. Griner's release renewed attention on another American citizen detained in Russia: Paul Whelan. (Courtesy of the Whelan Family via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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". "If we exchange one person, we should exchange him for one person, not for two". If so, it appears that Paul Whelan was blind to the threat. So when Whelan's plight became public, there was speculation that he could be the human collateral. Another link leads to a homemade guide to the Cyrillic alphabet and some basic first words in Russian. The latest: WNBA star Brittney Griner landed in the United States around 5:30 a.m. In Frode Berg's case, the Norwegian government stayed quiet. The Russian investigators state that Paul Whelan is a spy working for military intelligence and holding the rank of Colonel or any higher post. The three judges swept off the podium and out of court. Coint, Prediction. And while Paul Whelan's dishonourable discharge from the Marines shows there are parts of his life of which even his family have no idea, his supporters point to the theft charge as a positive. The website content does support later descriptions of Paul Whelan by contacts, colleagues and family as an enthusiastic world traveller who "made friends pretty much everywhere" and had an interest in Russian culture. Paul Whelan received a "bad conduct discharge" from the Marines in 2008. [41], Family members said Whelan had been told that he had been arrested to be exchanged for a Russian prisoner in the United States, mentioning Konstantin Yaroshenko (who was released in return for American Trevor Reed), Viktor Bout, or Roman Seleznev. From 2010 to 2016 Whelan was Kelly Services' senior manager of global security and operations. He mostly represents Russians accused of selling secrets to the West and says the number of such cases has grown significantly since the political climate turned cold again in 2014. AP NEWS, 8 Dec. 2022, https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-michigan-united-states-government-russia-bbf0c7e3029fea40d604b11fd271533f. CNN reports he was accused of using someone else's social security number, and "writing bad cheques". In a 9 November statement - which largely focused on Ms Griner - the White House said that the US government is willing to follow up on its exchange offer for Ms Griner with "alternative potential ways forward" to secure the release of Americans detained in Russian, including Mr Whelan. Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. And, to make matters worse, he wrongfully used another person's Social Security number to engage in unlawful activity. The Russian government declared Paul Whelan guilty long ago. Just two weeks after his arrest, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the American had been caught "red-handed" conducting a "concrete, illegal act". Whelan then spent over a decade working as a corporate security expert. "He has friends in other countries with a military background, I think it was a social thing," David Whelan argues. Checkout Complete Data! Why is Paul Whelan imprisoned? ", 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? [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. Family handout/AFP. He was caught for bad conduct during his marine service. Here's what this means for the future of other American hostages. [3][14] Earlier this year, American Trevor Reed, a former Marine who was detained in 2019, was exchanged for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to 20 years in a U.S. prison. [14] They further claim that Whelan's arrest is connected to tensions between Russia and the United States, including the detention of confessed unregistered foreign agent Maria Butina. He said the evidence was only ever examined by "incompetent and interested parties". The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. 2023 BBC. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. The defence team said the Russian had requested a loan to buy a gift for his wife, as part of his trap. Who is Paul Whelan? 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. [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". His family says he was in Moscow to attend a friends wedding. His mornings begin at 6 a.m. and his routine is monotonous, but writing letters and reading books in English helped him get through it, he said. 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. Why was Paul Whelan discharged from military service? "It will be very difficult to mount a defence.". Alexei Tarasov, Viktor Bout's attorney, told Russian television that Mr Whelan wasn't included in the swap because the exchange was on a "one for one" basis. Paul Whelan's travels in Russia began more than a decade ago. : Griner had been imprisoned in Russia since February, when she was accused of entering the country with vape cartridges that contained less than a gram of cannabis oil, which is illegal in the country. Whelan has been in Russian custody for nearly four years, convicted on charges of espionage and spying for the U.S. government and sentenced to 16 years in prison. "The FSB thing wasn't a big deal, until he was entrapped.". WebEither a spook or doing some industrial espionage. . "I will be with guys from the FSB, so should be okay! [28][29] On December 20, 2018, when discussing Butina's arrest, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia "will not arrest innocent people simply to exchange them". New details have emerged about the military history Novi businessman Paul Whelan, who has been accused of spying in Russia. [14], On December 28, 2018, Whelan was arrested in the Moscow area by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), which later confirmed his arrest. Since his arrest, the media has pored over Whelan's past, discovering a bad conduct discharge from the Marines, a Russian social media page, and multiple trips to [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). He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in December 2004 and was deployed in the war against Iraq for several months in 2004 and 2006. officer Whelan stated that he was in Russia to attend a friends wedding, and he knew that the flash drive contained some holiday photos he had received. Norway wasn't holding any convicted spies to trade and neither is America. At a news conference on Thursday, President Biden said that the US government will "never give up" on securing Mr Whelan's release. Prisoner trade deal: Her release was part of a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Russia freed Brittney Griner in a high-profile prisoner exchange with the U.S. The American, whose glasses, side parting and blue sweater that he wore to each court appearance gave him the look of a neat, middle-aged librarian, looked back at the judge blankly. At the same time, Washington was still accusing Moscow of meddling in its elections. He snapped a picture of his guests, "Dmitry" smiling with a glass of wine and his fork raised over a juicy steak. For his crimes, he was ultimately discharged from the Marine Corps for bad conduct, a ruling he unsuccessfully attempted to appeal. Paul Whelan's early life and the possibility of congressional intervention, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Britains Press Association said Whelans U.K. citizenship was reported by the U.S. embassy to British officials on Thursday. 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. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Ivan Pavlov believes Whelan's claim he was framed is "always possible" with FSB intelligence officers. At the time, one ambassador told me the move had hit Moscow's spying capacity hard. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his Bad Conduct. Whelan went on to seek out more Russian friends, using the country's social networking service VK among others. Paul Whelan received a 'bad conduct discharge' from the Marines in 2008. 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. [8], He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1994. Britains foreign secretary says Russia is trying to use a man detained as an alleged spy as a pawn in its geopolitical games. [23], According to Whelan, his long-time friend had appeared unexpectedly in the hotel, followed by authorities, who later arrested him. Read about our approach to external linking. A year later, just days before his arrest, Mr Whelan took "Dmitry" and another man for Christmas dinner at a restaurant opposite his hotel. Why wasn't Whelan included in the prisoner swap? The judge then turned to address the defendant, who was standing in a glass cage guarded by two FSB security officers in black balaclavas. [14][b] As of March 2019, he shared a cell with another prisoner who spoke no English. "[35], On January 5, 2019, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that on the day after Whelan's arrest the United States had detained a Russian citizen, Dmitry Makarenko, in the Northern Marianas and transported him to Florida to face charges of unauthorized export of defense equipment. Meanwhile, the front page of his website invited visitors to click on the image of a young Russian soldier to learn more about his "hobbies and military service". It was noticeable, one such report said, that he chose only to befriend men and not "pretty Russian girls". Whelan's arrest comes just two weeks after alleged Russian spy Maria Butina pleaded guilty in the US to conspiracy charges. Paul Nicholas Whelan (born March 5, 1970) is a Canadian-born former United States Marine with U.S., British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship. Ryan Pickrell, Business Insider Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. His job included campus security as well as electronic and IT-related security. [4] He said his brother had not been in contact with his family. A retired border guard, Frode Berg admitted to delivering envelopes of cash and spy instructions on behalf of Norwegian military intelligence agency. On his latest trip, in December 2018, he was in Moscow for the wedding of a fellow ex-Marine to a Russian woman. Video, 00:01:32Brother of detained American speaks, The Russian gun activist who was jailed in US. Some observers have said they believe Whelan's arrest was made on flimsy grounds and is likely retribution for the arrest of a suspected Russian spy. In December 2018, while on a trip to attend a friend's wedding in Russia, Whelan was detained by Federal Security Service (FSB) agents. "Russia says it caught James Bond on a spy mission," Whelan announced one day, as we waited for the judge. 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. Whelan, a former U.S. 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, Jan. 1, 2019. Mr Whelan was "responsible for overseeing security" at facilities in Michigan and around the world, a company statement said. [37] [38] His lawyers said they believed Russia would His service ended after he was convicted at a Claim: Paul Whelan received a punitive discharge from the Marines. WebHe was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduction to pay grade E-4, and, a bad-conduct discharge. Please comment. Dustoff262 Charter Member / Moderator Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Whelan was caught red-handed, during a spy mission. So without much ado, read thePaul Whelan Dishonorable Dischargeblog to know the complete story. The two met in person for a few hours in 2008 when Whelan was touring Russia, visiting multiple friends in various cities. WATCH NEXT: President Trump Attempts To Explain USSR-Afghanistan History. It has been nearly four years since Russian authorities arrested Paul Whelan in Moscow on charges of espionage. The Marine Corps released Whelan's service record, showing that hewas convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. 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. The news that Paul Whelan holds citizenship in four countries brings international pressure on Russia from several fronts. And he didn't hide his interests and encounters. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Britains foreign secretary says that Russia is trying to use him as a pawn in its geopolitical games. WebOn June 15, 2020, Whelan was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison for espionage by a court in Moscow. [25], Whelan was being held in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison. passport. [32], On January 3, 2019, Whelan's attorney, Vladimir Zherebenko,[d] said he was seeking his release on bail. U.S. military record convicting Paul Whelan of stealing $10,400 while at Al Asad air base, Iraq in 2006. pic.twitter.com/C9MVeHb5RK. 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. "I'm not allowed to give you details, but I can tell you I was set-up. 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. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. In a statement following Ms Griner's release, David Whelan said that the Biden administration warned the family ahead of time that Paul would not be released as part of the exchange. [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. Who is Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine held in Russia? "I can talk louder than you, Your Honour," he shouted from the cage. More: Paul Whelan's early life and the possibility of congressional intervention. 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.
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