The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Russian spy in New York, the agency announced Monday.
The alleged spy — who has been identified as Evgeny Buryakov — was trying to “collect economic intelligence and recruit New York City residents,” the FBI announced via Twitter.
According to the criminal complaint, which was unsealed Monday, Buryakov was posing “as an employee in the Manhattan office of a Russian bank.”
Buryakov is accused of working with agents of Russia’s foreign intelligence service – known as the SVR – as a “non-official cover” agent.
Buryakov was arrested as part of an alleged spy ring that involved two others, the Department of Justice announced Monday. Identified as Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobny, the two other men no longer reside in the U.S. and thus have not been arrested. Because they worked in the U.S. before on behalf of Russia, both were protected by diplomatic immunity and prosecution.
In the complaint, Buryakov is listed as the Deputy Representative in the U.S. for Russia’s Vnesheconombank, based in Manhattan. Sporyshev worked as a Trade Representative for Russia in New York until 2014, and Podobnyy was an attaché to Russia’s Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, the complaint says.
All three men were tasked with gathering information on potential U.S. sanctions against Russia, as well as efforts by the U.S. to create alternative energy sources.
“These charges demonstrate our firm commitment to combating attempts by covert agents to illegally gather intelligence and recruit spies within the United States,” Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement. “We will use every tool at our disposal to identify and hold accountable foreign agents operating inside this country – no matter how deep their cover.”
The FBI announced the arrest of Buryakov was made in the Bronx, and he is scheduled to appear in federal court in Manhattan on Monday.
Evgeny Bur Yakov Complaint by molliereilly
