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Covert Affairs of State: Alleged Russian Spies to Stand Trial

© REUTERS / Jane RosenbergEvgeny Buryakov
Evgeny Buryakov - Sputnik International
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A New York court used Evgeny Buryakov's assistance to a Russian news organization in preparing interview questions as evidence against him in a so-called spy ring case, a joint statement by US Attorney General, Manhattan US Attorney and the FBI indicates.

Evgeny Buryakov sits in court in New York, January 26, 2015. - Sputnik International
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WASHINGTON, January 27 (Sputnik) – On Monday, federal prosecutors in New York brought criminal charges against Evgeny Buryakov, 39, Igor Sporyshev, 40, and Victor Podobnyy, 27.

Prosecutors allege that they plotted to gather intelligence in the United States for Russia's foreign intelligence service and to recruit New York residents in an infiltration scheme that ran from 2012 to the present time.

"On May 21, 2013, Sporyshev called Buryakov to ask for Buryakov's help in formulating questions to be used for intelligence gathering purposes by others associated with a leading Russian state-owned news organization," the joint statement, issued by by US Attorney General, Manhattan US Attorney and the FBI Monday said, listing it as "Buryakov's Intelligence Taskings".

A police officer stands guard in Times Square in the Manhattan borough of New York January 15, 2015 - Sputnik International
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"Buryakov responded by supplying Sporyshev with a particular line of questioning about the New York Stock Exchange for use by the news organization," the statement added.

During the period of the alleged plot, Buryakov posed as an employee of a Russian bank, Sporyshev was a Russian trade representative, and Podobnyy was an attaché to Moscow's mission to the United Nations, according to a US Department of Justice statement issued Monday.

Buryakov was placed under arrest in Bronx on Monday and later appeared before the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. A source is the court told RIA Novosti that the next hearing in the case is scheduled for February 9 and that Buryakov could face up to 10 years in prison.

Sporyshev and Podobnyy no longer reside in the United States – they had left the country before criminal charges were brought against them.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington DC informed RIA Novosti Monday that it was in the process of studying information on the alleged involvement of Buryakov, Sporyshev and Podobnyy in intelligence-gathering activities.

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