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Russia to Expel American ‘Who was Recruiting for CIA’

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Mike O'Brien
Mike O'Brien
05/14/2013

Russia says it will expel an American who is accused of attempting to recruit an intelligence officer in Moscow into the CIA, the Federal Security Service said.

Ryan Christopher Fogle, the third secretary of the American Embassy in Moscow, was detained overnight before being handed back to U.S. authorities on Tuesday, the Russian intelligence agency Federal Security Service (FSB).

He was allegedly carrying a large amount of cash, a recording device, written instructions for the Russian recruit and was wearing a blond wig and baseball cap when he was nabbed.

The FSB said Mr. Fogle was working for the CIA. Among other items he was carrying was a knife, a dark wig and sunglasses.

The document he reportedly had was addressed to "Dear friend" in Russian.

According to an Associated Press translation, a part of the letter read: "We are prepared to offer you $100,000 and discuss your experience, expertise and cooperation, and your payment might be far greater if you are prepared to answer some specific questions. Additionally, for long-term cooperation we offer up to $1,000,000 a year with the promise of additional bonuses for information that will help us."

One FSB official told the LA Times: "Under different circumstances we could have tried to avoid publicity on the episode not to embarrass our [U.S.] partners.

"But their man acted way too arrogantly and defiantly as if he was in a spy movie: The guy was loaded with money, sets of instructions, makeup kit and other giveaway stuff."

It is the first major spy drama since 2010 when Russian Anna Chapman was arrested along with nine other alleged sleeper agents in the United States.

Michael McFaul, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, was summoned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday. Neither he, the Embassy or the CIA will discuss the case.


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