(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. 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 also worked as a Chelsea police officer from 1988-2000 as well as for the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department, hetestified in a2013 court deposition. He has studied Russian but communicated online using Google Translate. If so, it appears that Paul Whelan was blind to the threat. 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. But the espionage case was based entirely on Whelan's ties to one officer, with all the evidence gathered in 2018 shortly before his arrest. 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. Whelan, the 48-year-old global security director for a U.S. auto parts company, was arrested Dec. 28 in Moscow. Court records provided by the Marine Corps headquarters show that he had been accused of attempting to steal more than $10,000 while serving as an administrative clerk in Iraq in 2006. It was a flat, abrupt end to a spy trial that had taken just a handful of closed hearings. . The case was immediately big news that grew further when it emerged that Whelan was a citizen of four countries. But the space measures 9.5 square metres between two prisoners and exercise is one hour a day on the roof. Russia has not publicly presented any evidence to support the charges against Whelan. Russian officials say the American former Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British citizenship, and London has requested consular access to him. She was deported back to Russia in October 2019. Paul Whelan: What we know about the American detained in All rights reserved. "Really, an exchange should be equal," he said. 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. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. PAUL N. WHELAN. ", Zherebenko has worked on the high-profile international case of a Russian accused of. One light remains on in the cell 24/7. It is in this context that the nature of Whelan's discharge from the Marines received renewed attention. The two met in person for a few hours in 2008 when Whelan was touring Russia, visiting multiple friends in various cities. Whelan said the drive had been given to him by a friend, as part of a sting operation, and he was under the impression it contained wedding photographs. He was caught for bad conduct during his marine service. COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS WASHINGTON, D.C. - Navy It was a choice of bringing home one American, Brittney Griner, or bringing home none, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity on a call with reporters. Paul Whelan One replied to tell me he'd been a student and supermarket night-guard when the American first made contact. he asked. Russia argues that Butina is a political prisoner. After news of Griners release Thursday, U.S. officials lamented not being able to secure Whelans release, but said they were continuing the efforts. "This is 'Lubyanka' where the KGB has our spies locked in the basement!! 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!". Whelan, his family and the U.S. government have repeatedly stated that the charges are baseless and that he was framed. Britains foreign secretary says Russia is trying to use a man detained as an alleged spy as a pawn in its geopolitical games. This is the second time Whelan has been overlooked in a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. Read about our approach to external linking. Paul Whelan still wondering why he was left behind in Russia, [21], According to the Russian news agency Rosbalt[ru], Whelan was apprehended in his hotel room at the Metropol Hotel while concluding a long outing with a Russian citizen, who handed him a USB drive containing "a list of all the employees at a classified security agency". Checkout Complete Data! So when Whelan's plight became public, there was speculation that he could be the human collateral. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his Bad Conduct. Here's what this means for the future of other American hostages. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 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. So no evidence - the wire taps or surveillance footage the case is reportedly based on - has been made public. There were even allegations that Norway was under pressure to obtain the information from its partners in Nato. "[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. Its pages document the trip with shots of tourist spots and captions laden with exclamation marks. Last year, he was sent to solitary confinement for a month. "I don't know anything what [sic] might be interesting to foreign spy. [3][6], According to a deposition Whelan gave in 2013, he was in law enforcement from 1988 to 2000 as a police officer in Chelsea, Michigan, and a sheriff's deputy in Washtenaw County. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News on Friday that the British government is trying to help Paul Whelan. What Is the Regulation of Cryptocurrency in Estonia. At the time, he was identified only as an American. Whelan's arrest comes just two weeks after alleged Russian spy Maria Butina pleaded guilty in the US to conspiracy charges. Its unclear why Moscow officials were so eager to bring him home. "Family of American Prisoner Paul Whelan Backs Griner Deal." Whelan's family says that he he recently flew to Moscow to attend the wedding. Whelan joked back then on his website, which has since been archived. "[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. Paul Whelan Dishonorable Discharge: What Charges Made To Marine Against Bad Conduct? MILITARY JUSTICE QUICK GUIDE. Whelan's last place of duty was Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California. Whelan received a "bad conduct discharge" from the Marines in 2008. Moscow Paul Whelan, Before that he spent 14 years in the U.S. Marine Corps before being discharged in 2008 for bad conduct, according to the military. WATCH NEXT: President Trump Attempts To Explain USSR-Afghanistan History. Paul Whelan was detained by the Federal Security Service of Russia on 28th December 2018 at the Metropol Hotel room in Moscow. Her release was secured via a prisoner exchange in which U.S. authorities released convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. He had no idea his friend had been arrested. Just as there are groupies for rock bands, sports teams, and politicians, Whelan was a FSB groupie. Since late 2018, he has been held on espionage charges, which he denies. "If we exchange one person, we should exchange him for one person, not for two". There were signs of problems even earlier. He's someone I've known for ten years," he revealed for the first time. 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. Ireland says the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will provide all possible and appropriate assistance in relation to this case.. 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. | He said the evidence was only ever examined by "incompetent and interested parties". He snapped a picture of his guests, "Dmitry" smiling with a glass of wine and his fork raised over a juicy steak. Whelan went on to seek out more Russian friends, using the country's social networking service VK among others. Paul Whelan 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, according to the Washington Post. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, Grim life of American 'spy' in Russian labour camp, CNN reports he was accused of using someone else's social security number, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Street piano confiscated as public 'break rules', King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Disney faces countersuit in feud with Florida. In terms of severity of punishment, this form of discharge is second to and distinct from a dishonorable discharge. Paul Whelan was detained by the Federal Security Service of Russia on 28th December 2018 at the Metropol Hotel room in Moscow. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes. "If you've got mixed up in something like this, then you're in the most complicated story of your life," Ivan Pavlov says. He left the company in 2016, moving to become director of global security for US-based automotive components supplier BorgWarner. On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called on Washington to show "humanity" and release Yaroshenko "and other unjustly convicted" Russians. 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 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. Spy trials in Russia are not only heard in secret, the defence lawyers have to sign non-disclosure agreements covering the entire case. A retired border guard, Frode Berg admitted to delivering envelopes of cash and spy instructions on behalf of Norwegian military intelligence agency. The FSB was already dripping details of the case it would make in court. Paul Whelan Mr Whelan is a citizen of four countries - the US, Canada, the UK and the Irish Republic. 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. As he still works for the FSB, I can't identify him so I'll call him "Dmitry". Marine Corps). [47][48] His twin brother David ascribed Paul's acquisition of the multiple nationalities to "probably a genealogical interest as much as anything. It was noticeable, one such report said, that he chose only to befriend men and not "pretty Russian girls". He is currently facing. ", he joked in 2007 on a personal website. Paul Whelan