Who is Paul Whelan, the ex-US Marine jailed in Russia? @dsgordon @nowthisnews Whelan's military record is rife with criminal activity which resulted in a Bad Conduct Discharge. But when I asked for his side of the story, his eyes flicked towards the guards. "Really, an exchange should be equal," he said. He'd prepare a speech for each session, writing it out on a sheet of paper vetted and stamped by the prison censors. Sharing pictures of the visit, he said he had a "quite enjoyable time" exploring the cities of Moscow and St Petersburg. Whelan went on to seek out more Russian friends, using the country's social networking service VK among others. He joined the Marine Reserves May 10, 1994,and was an administrative clerk and administrative chief. The Pentagon, which released his records, said the charges related to larceny. Paul Whelan - Wikipedia '," a former colleague, Skotti Fietsam, told the BBC. Just two weeks after his arrest, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the American had been caught "red-handed" conducting a "concrete, illegal act". Paul Whelan Filming was barred at all future hearings to stop the press capturing any more protests. Time for Russia to release Paul Whelan - Washington Times Paul Whelan was detained by the Federal Security Service of Russia on 28th December 2018 at the Metropol Hotel room in Moscow. According to various reports, Paul Whelan served the Kelly services company after his dishonorable discharge and got a promotion in 2010. "We never see or meet other prisoners. (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 They talked about foreign travel and never met. [7] The Chelsea Police, however, said he worked in lesser roles and as a part-time officer from 1990 to 1996, while the Washtenaw County sheriff reported no record of his employment. Whe He Dead? U.S. military record convicting Paul Whelan of stealing $10,400 while at Al Asad air base, Iraq in 2006. pic.twitter.com/C9MVeHb5RK. [9][10] The specific charges against him included "attempted larceny, three specifications of dereliction of duty, making a false official statement, wrongfully using another's social security number, and ten specifications of making and uttering[a] checks without having sufficient funds in his account for payment. More: Paul Whelan's early life and the possibility of congressional intervention. Military records show he joined the US Marine Reserves in 1994, about six years after he had reportedly begun work as a police officer in Michigan. A recent newspaper report claimed that the American had come to FSB attention over a decade ago when, as Kommersant's source says, he "actively" began contacting Russian servicemen. under the IK-17 penal colony of the Mordovia region, located in east Moscow. Russian authorities claim the 48-year-old American, who is being held in Lefortovo Prison, was working as a spy. The US government speculated the return of Paul Whelan for Maria Butina from Russia, a gun activist. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. "I will be with guys from the FSB, so should be okay! Why is Paul Whelan imprisoned? Relations between Moscow and London are at a low point in the wake of Britains allegations that Russian military intelligence agents were behind the nerve-agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury in March. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his. governments reaction to Paul Whelans arrest. Britains foreign secretary says Russia is trying to use a man detained as an alleged spy as a pawn in its geopolitical games. [2][3] He was arrested in Russia on December 28, 2018, and accused of spying. "Trust is the most important thing when you are out there, living on the edge.". American detained by Russia tried to steal thousands of dollars Ireland says the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will provide all possible and appropriate assistance in relation to this case.. The 48-year-old former Marine and global security director for a U.S. company was arrested a week ago in Moscow. He held the rank of staff sergeant with Marine Air Control Group 38 working as an administrative clerk and administrative chief, and he was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "We are not looking for an exchange, we are looking for justice for Paul," US Ambassador John Sullivan insisted, emerging from the verdict at Moscow City Court to a wall of microphones and cameras. American Paul Whelan was discharged from the Marines He said in a deposition in 2013 that he holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and an MBA degree. At Kelly Services, his title was senior manager of global security and investigations. [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. Dan McCafferty Nazareth: Know Cause of Death! Are you on Telegram? He was discharged from the Marines for bad conduct in 2008 after being convicted of charges related to larceny, according to military and court records. Brother of detained American speaks. 18 under supervision of the Russian Federation's Federal Penitentiary Service. Who is Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine held in Russia? "I'm not allowed to give you details, but I can tell you I was set-up. Paul Nicholas Whelan (born March 5, 1970) is a Canadian-born former United States Marine with U.S., British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship. He was convicted at a special court-martial in January 2008 on several charges related to larceny and was given a bad-conduct discharge in December 2008 at the rank of private. The Latest: Marines provide details of Whelan court-martial It said it made the request after receiving a request for assistance from an Irish citizen detained in Moscow. Paul Whelan Dishonorable Discharge: What Charges Made To Marine Against Bad Conduct? "Whelan, do you understand the sentence?" The three judges swept off the podium and out of court. He is also a serving intelligence officer. Paul Whelan was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2008 following a special court-martial. In messages home from Moscow in January 2018 - a free holiday to use up his air miles - the American described visiting restaurants with his agent-friend, as well as the museums of the Kremlin and even a British pub. The American refused and as his time in custody was extended repeatedly, he gradually grew bolder in court. 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], On December 28, 2018, Whelan was arrested in the Moscow area by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), which later confirmed his arrest. The American disappeared without trace for three days until his twin stumbled across a news report announcing that his brother had been charged with espionage. The first time I saw Whelan in court, well over a year ago, he arrived with a weak smile and a brown cardboard box hugged to his chest containing a packed prison lunch. Spy trials in Russia are not only heard in secret, the defence lawyers have to sign non-disclosure agreements covering the entire case. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his Bad Conduct. Whelan also worked as a Chelsea police officer from 1988-2000 as well as for the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Department, he testified in a 2013 court deposition. The US has said repeatedly the two men were convicted in open and fair trials. Video, 00:01:32Brother of detained American speaks, The Russian gun activist who was jailed in US. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. She was imprisoned in the US in December 2018 and deported back to Russia in October 2019. But the space measures 9.5 square metres between two prisoners and exercise is one hour a day on the roof. Russia has angrily denied involvement in the poisonings. Whelan was born on March 5, 1970,[4] in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,[5] to British parents with Irish heritage. (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 It was with this scandal breaking behind the scenes, that he first headed for Moscow. He was flanked by FSB guards, faces covered so they couldn't be identified. BrwnLadyBee on Twitter: "@dsgordon @nowthisnews David Whelan issued a family statement on Friday on behalf of his brother, Paul Whelan, saying that the family was very pleased to know that staff of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow have been given consular access to Paul and confirmed that he is safe., He says the familys focus remains on ensuring that Paul is safe, well treated, has a good lawyer, and is coming home.. 2023 BBC. "If we exchange one person, we should exchange him for one person, not for two". "[46], Whelan is a citizen of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. A citizen of four countries the United States, Canada, Britain and Ireland, Whelan was a former sheriffs deputy and served several tours in Iraq as an active-duty reservist. It is an extraordinarily long time. In early 2019, the drama of his now multi-national arrest was developing against a hostile political backdrop, with mutual sanctions over the Ukraine crisis and East-West tension not felt since Soviet times. When Whelan was arrested, the FSB found a USB drive in his pocket containing the classified information it alleges he had requested. "It will be very difficult to mount a defence.". He's now back home after a prisoner-swap. Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. 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. Norway wasn't holding any convicted spies to trade and neither is America. mannymoelarry 2 mo. He also told CNN he had a recurring cough and noted that getting medical care was difficult even prevented by guards in the colony. For his crimes, he was ultimately discharged from the Marine Corps for bad conduct, a ruling he unsuccessfully attempted to appeal. 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. So, at a court hearing late last year, I raised my voice over a wall of bailiffs to ask him once again what had happened. The Marine Corps released Whelans service record, showing that he was convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. (Courtesy of the Whelan Family via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Nine months earlier, the UK had accused Russia of poisoning Sergei Skripal, a former double-agent, on the streets of Salisbury. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Paul Whelan's early life and the possibility of congressional intervention, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Nicknamed the merchant of death, Bout is a notorious arms dealer and has been in U.S. custody since his arrest in Thailand in 2008. On Whelan's old website, alongside Harry Potter books and War and Peace, his recommended reading includes a long list of Cold War thrillers by Tom Clancy. This material may not be reproduced without permission. His family decided not to change them, reasoning that a bill of over $150,000 (121,000) was "an awful lot of resources for what would have been zero impact". 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. The Pentagon, WebEither a spook or doing some industrial espionage. He is currently facing. [3][14] Is climate change killing Australian wine? "He seemed nice and was fascinated by our country, its history and our traditions and people!" He has no apparent link to the military himself and joked to me via VK that the American "didn't request to see anything suspicious :))". Whelan was arrested in Moscow last week. His family says he was in Moscow to attend a friends wedding. Eleven years later, its officers would drive him there for interrogation. The image was of the headquarters of Russia's notorious security services, now known as the FSB. 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. Sentenced to a high-security prison, Paul Whelan won't be leaving Lefortovo just yet. [20] David said his brother entered Russia using his U.S. 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". 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. It is not intended to harm neither anyone, nor does it promotes any fake information. AP NEWS, 8 Dec. 2022, https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-michigan-united-states-government-russia-bbf0c7e3029fea40d604b11fd271533f. He received a Bad Conduct Discharge as the result of a UCMJ Courts Martial. WebOn June 15, 2020, Whelan was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison for espionage by a court in Moscow. He previously identified himself as a former sheriff deputy, which Defence lawyers disclosed some details of the men's relationship early on in the case, including how the American had visited his friend's house in Sergiev Posad outside Moscow for "saunas and kebabs" the winter before his arrest. Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC. 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A Moscow hairdresser, meanwhile, was contacted by Whelan on Instagram around five years back. [47][48] His twin brother David ascribed Paul's acquisition of the multiple nationalities to "probably a genealogical interest as much as anything. Evidence shows that he was caught with a flash drive that contained highly classified information. Here's what we know about Mr Whelan and his case. [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". the man replied to my enquiries, adding that his own interest was in the ex-Marine's time in Iraq. "If bad actors like Russia are going to grab innocent Americans, the US needs a swifter, more direct response, and to be prepared in advance," he added. 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. "[4][f], Whelan was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and raised partly in the Ann Arbor area of Michigan where he and his twin brother David graduated from Huron High School in 1988. He said the evidence was only ever examined by "incompetent and interested parties". ", Another man gave his friend a sightseeing tour of his own town that same year. A decade later, he would message home regularly from trips to Russia displaying similar almost child-like wonder at new discoveries. He apparently had four passports, which he is said to have collected for fun. This is slimy, greasy corrupt Russian politics, nothing more, nothing less. "No-one's hiding that, everyone talks about it, all the officials," he told the press. Its very grim. [4] He said his brother had not been in contact with his family. It's possible he even introduced his parents to "Dmitry" on their 2009 trip to Russia, they can't be sure. By then, we'd learned that the American had visited Russia multiple times. The appropriate social media access links are given below. While not as severe as a dishonorable discharge, a bad conduct discharge is a significant punishment in the U.S. military justice system. On 15 June, it took the chief judge just 1 minute 20 seconds to reach the key words in his verdict. '''Dmitry' says hello! The Russian Rosbalt news agency quoted a source claiming that Whelan was working directly for US intelligence, tasked with obtaining a list of personnel at "one of Russia's secret institutions". There were even allegations that Norway was under pressure to obtain the information from its partners in Nato. [32], On January 3, 2019, Whelan's attorney, Vladimir Zherebenko,[d] said he was seeking his release on bail. Russia freed Brittney Griner in a high-profile prisoner exchange with the U.S. She was deported back to Russia in October 2019. They also said he owed Whelan around 80,000 roubles ($1,147; 930) which the FSB claimed was advance payment for intelligence. Florida resident Vladimir Nevidomy pleaded guilty in June 2018 to conspiracy with Makarenko and was sentenced to 26 months in prison. Its clear that the U.S. government has no concessions that the Russian government will take for Paul Whelan. Officials say the American ex-Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship. President Biden said Thursday that those efforts have failed so far because Russia has decided to treat Whelans case differently given the nature of the espionage charges levied against him. What are your opinions for this swap? "Had this been an independent court, they would have reached only one decision - not guilty," his lawyer, Vladimir Zherebyonkov said after the verdict. His rank was downgraded to corporal as he was found guilty of cheque bounce and attempted theft of around $10,000 during his office. The Bizarre Case Of The Ex-Marine Accused By Russia Of