[4] In addition to his twin brother, Paul Whelan has a brother, Andrew, and a sister, Elizabeth. Some critics of Biden have faulted him for not bringing Whelan back, often citing Whelan's service in the Marines as part of that argument. So without much ado, read thePaul Whelan Dishonorable Dischargeblog to know the complete story. ", "He said it's beautiful and he liked the cold and he had quite a few friends there.". 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. [23], According to Whelan, his long-time friend had appeared unexpectedly in the hotel, followed by authorities, who later arrested him. 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. WebPaul Whelan may refer to: . [20] David said his brother entered Russia using his U.S. He also told CNN he had a recurring cough and noted that getting medical care was difficult even prevented by guards in the colony. They talked about foreign travel and never met. "His experience of having already been to the Kremlin and having already walked around Red Square and navigating the metro, his friend felt Paul could assist a bunch of Americans who hadn't otherwise ever been to Moscow," David Whelan said. The photograph dates from Whelan's first trip to Moscow, made while he was serving with the US military in Iraq. Paul Whelans Brother: Family Knew Little About His Interest in Paul Whelan received a punitive discharge from the Marines. They have also said the CIA would not recruit someone with Mr. Whelans bad conduct discharge. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Time for Russia to release Paul Whelan - Washington Times Specifically, he received a "Bad Conduct Discharge" handed down by a special court martial. ", Zherebenko has worked on the high-profile international case of a Russian accused of. He wasn't allowed a phone call home for 16 months. Whelan then spent over a decade working as a corporate security expert. He had no idea his friend had been arrested. "The intelligence community would never use someone with that past, especially in a situation like this when you'd be sent into a very, very difficult environment," argues Ryan Fayhee, the family's lawyer in the US who cites intelligence contacts from his days prosecuting cases of counter-espionage. "[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. 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. At the time of his arrest, he was corporate security director at BorgWarner, a Michigan-based automotive parts supplier. ", US envoy visits spy suspect held in Russia, Brother of detained American speaks. This article will convey all the necessary information on Paul Whelan. Almost exactly a year before Paul Whelan's arrest, a Norwegian staying at the same central Moscow hotel was arrested and charged with espionage. "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. [30] He told Whelan's family that Paul was "in good health and good spirits", but that the family needed to supply all his incidental needs aside from basic foodstuffs. American Who Loves Russia Ensnared in New Cold War", United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, "American Paul Whelan arrested in Russia on spy charges as potential retribution for Maria Butina", "Brother of American arrested in Russia on spy charges says he was there for a wedding", "American arrested in Russia on spying charges was there for a wedding", "Twin brother of Novi man accused of spying in Russia: He's innocent", " 16 ", "Jeremy Hunt warns Russia not to play 'diplomatic chess games' over British man arrested for spying", " , ", "The curious case of the ex-marine jailed for spying", "Russia keen to raise Paul Whelan's jail time to 18 years", "Ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan sentenced to 16 years jail in Russia", "Paul Whelan, American Accused of Spying by Russia, Thrown in Moscow's Most Infamous Dungeon", "Details of Russian obstruction paint bleak picture for American held in Moscow", "Russia's Arrest of Paul Whelan Is Payback for Maria Butina, CIA Veterans Say", "The President* Is So Hopelessly Compromised", "Ambassador Huntsman visits American detained in Moscow", "Russia allows U.S. ambassador to meet with detained American", "American detained by Russia was convicted of trying to steal thousands of dollars while deployed to Iraq as a Marine", "Seor K: Russia and Argentina split over mysterious drug smuggling case", "Paul Whelan, American Accused of Spying, Is Said to Be Charged in Russia", "US spy suspect found with Russian 'state secrets', lawyer says", "Moscow Accuses Washington of Detaining Russian Citizen After Whelan's Arrest", "Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, convicted of espionage charges in Russia, gets 16-year prison sentence", "American Paul Whelan convicted of spying by Russia, gets 16 years in prison", "Russian court sentences US citizen Paul Whelan to 16 years in prison", "American Paul Whelan arrives at Russian penal colony after espionage conviction", "Paul Whelan: Grim life of US 'spy' in Russian labour camp", "Trevor Reed came back home, but Paul Whelan is still imprisoned in Russia", "CNN Exclusive: Biden administration offers convicted Russian arms dealer in exchange for Griner, Whelan", "In freeing Griner, Biden faced resistance abroad and at home", "Inside Biden's agonizing decision to take a deal that freed Brittney Griner but left Paul Whelan in Russia", "Griner's release puts a spotlight on Paul Whelan, another American imprisoned in Russia", "Ex-US marine accused of spying in Russia is British citizen", "US citizen held in Moscow seeks Irish consular aid", "Here's what we know about Paul Whelan, the US citizen accused of spying in Russia", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Whelan_(security_director)&oldid=1152256903, American people convicted of spying for the United States, People with acquired American citizenship, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from December 2020, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 03:53. "I don't believe that Paul is a spy," the man wrote to me. Paul Whelan: The strange case of the ex-marine jailed for spying ago. This material may not be reproduced without permission. He is currently facingChargesof16 years imprisonmentunder the IK-17 penal colony of the Mordovia region, located in east Moscow. Did he commit any severe crime? 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!". Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? 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.. "Trust is the most important thing when you are out there, living on the edge.". Ryan Pickrell, Business Insider In terms of severity of punishment, this form of discharge is second to and distinct from a dishonorable discharge. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. snopes.com on Twitter: " True. Paul Whelan received a "bad Just two weeks after his arrest, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the American had been caught "red-handed" conducting a "concrete, illegal act". Since late 2018, he has been held on espionage charges, which he denies. The Russian described the two spending several days "touring Moscow" together, eating sushi and caviar-filled pancakes. : 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. Nine months earlier, the UK had accused Russia of poisoning Sergei Skripal, a former double-agent, on the streets of Salisbury. "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. 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. The word "uttering" is a legal term that refers to the crime of "unlawfully passing a forged document with intent to defraud". A decade later, he would message home regularly from trips to Russia displaying similar almost child-like wonder at new discoveries. He again joined the marines in 2004 and then in 2006. He's the kindest soul! Dan McCafferty Nazareth: Know Cause of Death! Officials say the American ex-Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship. 2023 www.freep.com. 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. The FSB was already dripping details of the case it would make in court. His own cellmate in Lefortovo used to joke that the inmates were fed dog food in the mornings. [7], He was an IT manager for the Kelly Services staffing company from 2001[8] to 2003, and then 2008 to 2010. David Whelan, meanwhile, has dismissed the allegations as nonsense. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. Paul Whelan Dishonorable Discharge: What Charges Made To [37][38] His lawyers said they believed Russia would now seek a prisoner swap. His website describes his "respect and admiration" for three Naval Academy graduates who'd just joined the Marines. Paul Whelan - Wikipedia [32], On January 3, 2019, Whelan's attorney, Vladimir Zherebenko,[d] said he was seeking his release on bail. Paul N. Whelan, adjutant, Marine Air Control Group 38 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), pictured before the Kremlin in 2007. 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. Russian authorities claim the 48-year-old American, who is being held in Lefortovo Prison, was working as a spy. This is the second time Whelan has been overlooked in a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. WebHe was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduction to pay grade E-4, and, a bad-conduct discharge. WebHe was discharged from the Marines for bad conduct in 2008 after being convicted of charges related to larceny, according to military and court records. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. Whelans last place of duty was Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California. Paul Whelan's lawyers have now confirmed that he was being watched for some time and his communications monitored. In June 2020, Whelan was sentenced to 16 years of hard labor in a Russian prison for espionage, in a trial that he has argued was politically motivated and heightened tensions between the United States and Russia. [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. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes. The Whelan family eventually found a name and even a photograph. That was New Year's Eve 2018 and the start of a case that would embroil four western governments and pile pressure on relations with Russia that had already sunk to a post-Cold War low. [8] After a court-martial conviction in January 2008 on multiple counts "related to larceny", he was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduction to pay grade E-4, and a bad conduct discharge. Whe He Dead? Its pages document the trip with shots of tourist spots and captions laden with exclamation marks. The judge then turned to address the defendant, who was standing in a glass cage guarded by two FSB security officers in black balaclavas. He served 14 years in the It was an Automobile component distributor company. 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. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. ", Whelan breezily told his parents after one Facetime chat with the Russian. U.S. officials say they are still working to secure the release of the former Marine, who was arrested in Moscow in 2018, but claim he was not part of the negotiations for Thursdays prisoner swap because his case is being treated differently by the Russians. Curious To Check Full Wiki! The Marine Corps released Whelans service record, showing that he was convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. The release of Brittney Griner, the American basketball star imprisoned in Russia who was exchanged Thursday for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, shed light on the case of another American prisoner, Paul Whelan. governments reaction to Paul Whelans arrest. It is not intended to harm neither anyone, nor does it promotes any fake information. And then, the Irish changed the law in the early part of the century to allow grandchildren of Irish citizens to get Irish citizenship. The man Whelan accuses of framing him was one of his oldest friends in Russia. There were even allegations that Norway was under pressure to obtain the information from its partners in Nato. Cleve R. Wootson Jr. contributed to this report. Russian authorities alleged he possessed a computer flash drive containing classified information. Britains foreign secretary says that Russia is trying to use him as a pawn in its geopolitical games. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his. Whelan was arrested in Moscow last week. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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. Administrative Discharge Status Can Affect Benefits. 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. He wondered whether some comment, or joke might have been disastrously misconstrued. He was flanked by FSB guards, faces covered so they couldn't be identified. Whelan worked as an administrative clerk and administrative chief and was deployed in Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr. met with Whelan on January 2, 2019, while Whelan was in Russian custody. Russia has not publicly presented any evidence to support the charges against Whelan. 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. Florida resident Vladimir Nevidomy pleaded guilty in June 2018 to conspiracy with Makarenko and was sentenced to 26 months in prison. The latest: WNBA star Brittney Griner landed in the United States around 5:30 a.m. "I don't know if it was machismo; to show off," Fietsam said. Whelan went on to seek out more Russian friends, using the country's social networking service VK among others. 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. Brother of detained American speaks. On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called on Washington to show "humanity" and release Yaroshenko "and other unjustly convicted" Russians. "But it was very unusual.". Free Press staff writers Todd Spangler, JC Reindl, and USA Today'sDeirdre Shesgreen and Tom Vanden Brook contributed to this report. Paul Whelan (security director) - Wikipedia [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). Paul Whelan as a US marine and the front gate at his parents' property And yet, unknown to those closest to him, Paul had been court-martialled for trying to steal 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. And, to make matters worse, he wrongfully used another person's Social Security number to engage in unlawful activity. 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. Its very grim. It's possible he even introduced his parents to "Dmitry" on their 2009 trip to Russia, they can't be sure. he asked. Paul Whelan received a 'bad conduct discharge' from the Marines in 2008. Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime. Just as there are groupies for rock bands, sports teams, and politicians, Whelan was a FSB groupie. Paul Whelan, the global security director for a U.S. company, was arrested a week ago in Moscow. Paul Whelan's travels in Russia began more than a decade ago. "He has friends in other countries with a military background, I think it was a social thing," David Whelan argues. So the prisoner who has always called himself a political hostage is now looking to the politicians to do a deal for his release. I dont understand why Im still sitting here.. Officials have said the dialogue about Whelans release remains open. ", 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? It said that information was the object of "intense interest" to the Americans, and that Whelan had been cultivating potential contacts, online, for over a decade. He later worked as a global security executive for the auto As his family step-up their appeals to bring him home, officials in Moscow are already hinting at a possible prisoner swap adding to suspicions that the man from Michigan is a pawn in a political game that has yet to play out. [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. 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. He took a military leave of absence from Kelly Services, he testified, to serve in Iraq. Paul Whelan was detained by the Federal Security Service of Russia on 28th December 2018 at the Metropol Hotel room in Moscow. 18 under supervision of the Russian Federation's Federal Penitentiary Service. "He seemed nice and was fascinated by our country, its history and our traditions and people!" Video, 00:01:32, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. At the time, he was identified only as an American but officials say Whelan also has British citizenship. "I will be with guys from the FSB, so should be okay! ((This Dec. 8 story has been corrected to fix paragraph 8 to make clear Whelan was given a bad-conduct discharge from the Marine Corps, not a dishonourable discharge).) In 2016 he left the company and became the director for global security in a US-based company. "I'm not allowed to give you details, but I can tell you I was set-up. Also, the readers can find theUnited Statesgovernments reaction to Paul Whelans arrest. [7] He took military leave from Kelly Services to serve with the Marine Corps Reserve from 2003 to 2008, including service in Iraq. Was Paul Whelan given a bad-conduct discharge from the Marines? Whelan's family are already pushing for action after a sentence that his brother, David, called "a gut punch'. Kristen Jordan Shamus - Detroit Free Press. [43] The Russian side insisted on the additional release of Vadim Krasikov, an assassin serving a life sentence for murder in Germany. Norway wasn't holding any convicted spies to trade and neither is America. It seems unusual behaviour if he was trying to recruit the man for US intelligence. 6 Top-Notch Dental Courses Online for Beginners in 2023, What is a Token Burn? The minute the American was convicted, the focus shifted to a possible prisoner swap. 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. On 15 June, it took the chief judge just 1 minute 20 seconds to reach the key words in his verdict. Whelan was friends with young servicemen in the US, though, too. 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. Russia argues that Butina is a political prisoner. "Russia says it caught James Bond on a spy mission," Whelan announced one day, as we waited for the judge. The Latest: Marines provide details of Whelan court-martial
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