"The porridge, some days it goes direct to the toilet," Frode Berg wrote to me from northern Norway of life in the FSB prison. 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. He left the company in 2016, moving to become director of global security for US-based automotive components supplier BorgWarner. Ukraine live briefing: Kyiv targeted by missiles; explosions in Russia derail train, damage power line, Philippine presidents White House visit reflects sharp upturn in ties, Eyeing China, Biden official floats a new Washington consensus, American Trevor Reed, a former Marine who was detained in 2019, was exchanged. 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. 2023 BBC. In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for hisBad Conduct. The case was immediately big news that grew further when it emerged that Whelan was a citizen of four countries. "I will be with guys from the FSB, so should be okay! MILITARY JUSTICE QUICK GUIDE. Whelan received what is categorized broadly as a punitive discharge. [23], According to Whelan, his long-time friend had appeared unexpectedly in the hotel, followed by authorities, who later arrested him. Paul Whelan Is climate change killing Australian wine? Last year, he was sent to solitary confinement for a month. There's a Marines' flag flying right below the American flag on my parents' property the whole time," David told the BBC from Canada. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His rank was downgraded to corporal as he was found guilty of cheque bounce and attempted The Russian investigators state that Paul Whelan is a spy working for military intelligence and holding the rank of Colonel or any higher post. 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. Cleve R. Wootson Jr. contributed to this report. 2023 www.freep.com. And, to make matters worse, he wrongfully used another person's Social Security number to engage in unlawful activity. It was with this scandal breaking behind the scenes, that he first headed for Moscow. Paul Whelan - Wikipedia He'll need to buy things like razors, toilet paper, soap, things that would be on-hand anywhere else. "Family of American Prisoner Paul Whelan Backs Griner Deal." Paul Whelans Brother: Family Knew Little About His Interest in According to various reports, Paul Whelan served the Kelly services company after his dishonorable discharge and got a promotion in 2010. Born in Canada to British parents of Irish heritage, he later moved to the US entitling him to multiple passports as a result. At the time, he was identified only as an American but officials say Whelan also has British citizenship. "Had this been an independent court, they would have reached only one decision - not guilty," his lawyer, Vladimir Zherebyonkov said after the verdict. Whelan went on to seek out more Russian friends, using the country's social networking service VK among others. "As my cousins in England would say, this is complete bollocks.". Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime. Paul Whelan would be brought for multiple custody hearings and appeals over the months and we squeezed in almost every time. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus. Whelan received what is categorized broadly as a punitive discharge. Here's what we know about Mr Whelan and his case. The US government speculated the return of Paul Whelan for Maria Butina from Russia, a gun activist. The below table shows the required personal life details of Paul Whelan. Paul Whelan, Ex-U.S. Marine Jailed in Russia on Spying Charges [37] [38] His lawyers said they believed Russia would 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. There were even allegations that Norway was under pressure to obtain the information from its partners in Nato. Russian authorities alleged he possessed a computer flash drive containing classified information. Whe He Dead? In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his Bad Conduct. 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. (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 Cellmates get to shower once a week, together, in the basement. But in 2008 Mr Whelan, who had achieved the rank of staff sergeant, was discharged from the marines for bad conduct. Paul Whelan "No way? Rationalinsurgent is an online platform for the next-gen investors, buyers, and Crypto holders to explore and learn how digital assets and other cryptocurrencies Read More. Whelan was born on March 5, 1970,[4] in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,[5] to British parents with Irish heritage. All rights reserved. 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. [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. https://jag.navylive.dodlive.mil/Portals/58/Mil_Jus_Quick_Guide.pdf. Paul Nicholas Whelan (born March 5, 1970) is a Canadian-born former United States Marine with U.S., British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship. Russia has angrily denied involvement in the poisonings. He'd prepare a speech for each session, writing it out on a sheet of paper vetted and stamped by the prison censors. A decade later, he would message home regularly from trips to Russia displaying similar almost child-like wonder at new discoveries. (Courtesy of the Whelan Family via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes. Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Twin brother of Novi man accused of spying in Russia: He's innocent, US wants access to Michigan man held in Moscow on spy charges, Novi businessman, 48, accused of 'spy mission' in Russia, 'Does not fit any spy': What made accused Russian spy Maria Butina different. [28][29] On December 20, 2018, when discussing Butina's arrest, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia "will not arrest innocent people simply to exchange them". Over the summer, reports indicated that the U.S. government was trying to negotiate the release of both Griner and Whelan in exchange for Bout. The word "uttering" is a legal term that refers to the crime of "unlawfully passing a forged document with intent to defraud". Paul Whelans family members criticize the US government on the Prisoners swap for choosing Brittney Grinner over Whelan. Whelan was discharged for bad conduct in 2008 after being convicted of several charges related to larceny, according to the records," the newspaper wrote. The man Whelan accuses of framing him was one of his oldest friends in Russia. He received a Bad Conduct Discharge as the result of a UCMJ Courts Martial. CNN reports he was accused of using someone else's social security number, and "writing bad cheques". Whelan, who at the time of his arrest was the head of global security for a US-based car parts firm, began to denounce the charge of espionage as "ridiculous", and declare that he was being tried by a "kangaroo court". In 2008, Paul was discharged from the Marines for his. [3][14] 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. 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. On 28 December, however, he was arrested by Russia's FSB state security agency, which claimed he had been "caught spying" 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. 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. But when I asked for his side of the story, his eyes flicked towards the guards. The Pentagon, which released his records, said the charges related to larceny. He was arrested in his room, just hours after showing some of the other wedding guests around the grounds of the Kremlin. "I don't believe that Paul is a spy," the man wrote to me. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. In Room 3324 of Moscow's Metropol hotel, Paul Whelan was getting dressed for a friend's wedding when Russian intelligence officers burst in. he wrote. Labelling it "Dinner with Tovarishi", or comrades, he messaged the image to a third Russian friend - even as he was supposedly discussing how to transfer classified intelligence. It was noticeable, one such report said, that he chose only to befriend men and not "pretty Russian girls". While not as severe as a dishonorable discharge, a bad conduct discharge is a significant punishment in the U.S. military justice system. It was due to his knowledge of Russia that he had been asked to attend the wedding of a fellow former marine in Moscow in December 2018, his brother David told the BBC's Newshour after his arrest. She was deported back to Russia in October 2019. More details on Whelans professional life, Wisconsin Volleyball Team Leaked Nudes Reddit: Check Links for Pictures, Cryptopunk NFT Price (Aug 2021) How To Buy? But Whelan never made it to the ceremony. 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. So he just thought it's an opportunity to have that, so why not? '," a former colleague, Skotti Fietsam, told the BBC. Q1. 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. All the signs so far suggest Moscow is opening with a high bid - Viktor Bout, a weapons dealer serving 25 years in America and Konstantin Yaroshenko, sentenced to 20 years for drugs smuggling. [40] As of December 2020[update] he was held in a high-security prison, IK-17, eight hours drive southeast of Moscow. A member of his defence team has since revealed that he was coming under intense pressure from the FSB to confess, interrogated several times without his lawyers present. He previously identified himself as a former sheriff deputy, which 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. Whelan, 48, was arrested Friday in Moscow, and was charged with espionage. Paul Whelan (security director) - Wikipedia Was Paul Whelan Punitively Discharged from the Marines? One friend who didn't want to be named told me he was "a little quirky", and liked to "push the line a bit". Earlier this year, American Trevor Reed, a former Marine who was detained in 2019, was exchanged for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to 20 years in a U.S. prison. He said his brother planned to return to Michigan on January 6, 2019, via Saint Petersburg. Whelan had plumped to visit Russia, explaining that, for a "single man like me" the scheme was "an opportunity to travel throughout the worldand experience the diversity of culture". He joined the Marine Reserves May 10, 1994, and was an administrative clerk and administrative chief. Odds are he did something wrong. The Russian government declared Paul Whelan guilty long ago. More: Paul Whelan's early life and the possibility of congressional intervention. He says his brother's VK messages were deleted after his arrest. From 2010 to 2016 Whelan was Kelly Services' senior manager of global security and operations. 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. This is the second time Whelan has been overlooked in a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. He again joined the marines in 2004 and then in 2006. This is a punitive related discharge and there is a distinction between the two, however, he did receive a less than Honorable one. 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. "No-one's hiding that, everyone talks about it, all the officials," he told the press. "If I do that, I'll be in a bad way," Whelan told me, warily. 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. [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). "Really, an exchange should be equal," he said. [14][b] As of March 2019, he shared a cell with another prisoner who spoke no English. Whelan, his family and the U.S. government have repeatedly stated that the charges are baseless and that he was framed. The convening authority approved the sentence as adjudged.2 We have [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. . 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. He's now back home after a prisoner-swap. 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. James B. Hoke/U.S. If Whelan is found guilty of espionage, he could face 10 to 20 years in prison. On June 15, 2020, he received a 16-year prison sentence. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. 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". Whelan's arrest comes just two weeks after alleged Russian spy Maria Butina pleaded guilty in the US to conspiracy charges. "This is how FSB careers are made; people rise on the back of such cases, like mushrooms after the rain.". Paul Whelan's early life and the possibility of congressional intervention, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Paul Whelan (politician) (19432019), New South Wales state politician Paul F. Whelan, Irish academic; Paul Whelan (security director), US citizen He's someone I've known for ten years," he revealed for the first time. Whelan was arrested in Moscow last week. "I'm trying to focus on immediate goals, so I don't get distracted by how awful it is that he could spend 16 years behind bars," David Whelan told me, imagining how his twin would have felt, convicted of spying and heading back to his prison cell. [45], Whelan's brother David Whelan approved of the decision to "make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to happen. Its pages document the trip with shots of tourist spots and captions laden with exclamation marks. A scroll through their profiles, soon after his arrest, revealed almost all to be men - most considerably younger than him. 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. Whelan has been in Russian custody for nearly four years, convicted on charges of espionage and spying for the U.S. government and sentenced to 16 years in prison. The Bizarre Case Of The Ex-Marine Accused By Russia Of Mr Whelan, 52, was given a 16-year jail sentence in 2020 after being arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying in 2018. "Russia says it caught James Bond on a spy mission," Whelan announced one day, as we waited for the judge. Prisoner trade deal: Her release was part of a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. He took a military leave of absence from Kelly Services, he testified, to serve in Iraq. By then, we'd learned that the American had visited Russia multiple times. The Marine Corps released Whelans service record, showing that he was convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. "If we exchange one person, we should exchange him for one person, not for two". Officials have said the dialogue about Whelans release remains open. Check Wiki to Know About Solana Valley NFT (Sep 2021) Token price & How To Buy! WATCH NEXT: President Trump Attempts To Explain USSR-Afghanistan History. "[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. Who is Paul Whelan? What we know about man held in Russia His lawyers do plan to appeal against the verdict but other, bigger forces are already at play. passport. Officials say the American ex-Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship. 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. American Paul Whelan was discharged from the Marines "I can't imagine how someone with a law enforcement background who is also a former US Marine, and who is now working in corporate security and is also aware of the risks of travel, would have broken any law let alone the law related to espionage," he said. | His attorney, Vladimir Zherebenkov, has said his client unwittingly received a flash drive containing state secrets while visiting Russia for a wedding in 2018. Video, 00:01:32, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. He served 14 years in the Coint, Prediction. At Kelly Services, his title was senior manager of global security and investigations. In a trial the U.S. criticized as unfair, Whelan was convicted of spying and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian penal colony. Why was Whelan rejected for the Prisoners swap? The detained former Marine had an interest in Russia, though. Image Via KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images. [4], Whelan lived in Novi, Michigan, prior to detainment in Russia.[49]. WebAccording to court-martial records, Paul Whelan actually received a bad-conduct discharge from the US Marines in 2008 and his rank was reduced to that of corporal Why was Paul Whelan discharged from military service? 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. Whelan's family says that he he recently flew to Moscow to attend the wedding. Here's what this means for the future of other American hostages. New details have emerged about the military history Novi businessman Paul Whelan, who has been accused of spying in Russia. At the time, one ambassador told me the move had hit Moscow's spying capacity hard. Specifically, he received a "Bad Conduct Discharge" handed down by a special court martial. Paul Whelan's Marine discharge was larceny related - Detroit It is not intended to harm neither anyone, nor does it promotes any fake information. Paul Whelan That first day, though - in a cage, with a dozen cameras trained on him - he looked tense and spoke little. [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. Accused spy Paul Whelan was discharged from Marines for bad Evidence shows that he was caught with a flash drive that contained highly classified information. "That early warning meant that our family has ben able to mentally prepare for what is now a public disappointment for us," the statement added. "Whelan, do you understand the sentence?" American detained by Russia tried to steal thousands of dollars He wasn't allowed a phone call home for 16 months. The Whelan family eventually found a name and even a photograph. He is currently facing. "We never see or meet other prisoners. Since his first visit in 2006, Mr Whelan made a number of other trips to Russia and developed an in-depth knowledge of the country. At Kelly Services, his title was senior manager of global security and investigations. This undated photo provided by the Whelan family shows Paul Whelan in Iceland. Did he commit any severe crime? He had no idea his friend had been arrested. mannymoelarry 2 mo. 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. He urged the U.S. Congress and the State Department to help get his brother freed. Disclaimer The article shares only particular details about Paul Whelan and his conduct. Video, 00:01:32Brother of detained American speaks, The Russian gun activist who was jailed in US. Eleven years later, its officers would drive him there for interrogation. Paul Whelan I dont understand why Im still sitting here.. His job included campus security as well as electronic and IT-related security. True. [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. [19], Per MBK News, an outlet run by Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Whelan had $80,000 in cash "temporarily confiscated" during a customs inspection at Domodedovo Airport. Paul Whelan received a "bad conduct discharge" from the Marines in 2008. for choosing Brittney Grinner over Whelan. Curious To Check Full Wiki! The Marine Corps released Whelan's service record, showing that hewas convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. "The FSB thing wasn't a big deal, until he was entrapped.". The day the verdict was announced, Whelan said he thought it was a foregone conclusion, and shouted from within a glass-enclosed area in the courtroom that Russia feels impotent in the world, so theyre taking political hostages.. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Whelan was caught red-handed, during a spy mission. BrwnLadyBee on Twitter: "@dsgordon @nowthisnews Whelan joked back then on his website, which has since been archived. Just two weeks after his arrest, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the American had been caught "red-handed" conducting a "concrete, illegal act". Marine Corps). "[12], When arrested in Russia, Whelan was director of global security and investigations for BorgWarner, an international automotive parts manufacturer based in Michigan. "I remember making small talk once and I said, 'You travel a lot for work, where do you travel for fun? 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. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Whelan was friends with young servicemen in the US, though, too. Accessed 9 Dec. 2022. 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. under the IK-17 penal colony of the Mordovia region, located in east Moscow. "It will be very difficult to mount a defence.". As described in a 2008 appeal that was denied, Whelan received this sentence for, among other things, attempted larceny, false statements, and dereliction of duty: A military judge sitting as a special court martial convicted the appellant [Paul N. Whelan], consistent with his pleas, of 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 checks without having sufficient funds in his account for payment He was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduction to pay grade E-4, and a bad-conduct discharge. It said it made the request after receiving a request for assistance from an Irish citizen detained in Moscow. The former US Marine - who also has British, Irish and Canadian citizenship - has always insisted on his innocence, and in court this week he described himself the victim of "greasy, slimy Russian politics". Paul Whelan still wondering why he was left behind in Russia, He worked in the 2000s as an IT project manager for Kelly Services Company. She was imprisoned in the US in December 2018 and deported back to Russia in October 2019. "[21] As of January 4, British and Irish consular officials were seeking access to Whelan. I did not commit a crime," Whelan said, telling me that a friend had turned-up at his hotel that evening unannounced. The appropriate social media access links are given below.
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