US Federal Judge De Facto Acknowledges Bout Case Fabricated - Wife

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Monday, Scheindlin, the judge who sentenced Bout to imprisonment, said she gave him “the lowest sentence I could possibly give” as the accused  businessman was “reeled in” into the conspiracy.

"The words Scheindlin told The New York Times confirmed the artificial, contrived nature of the US accusations against my husband," Alla Bout told RIA Novosti.

"In fact, Scheindlin almost directly said in an interview that the case against Victor was fabricated by US intelligence services, who had dragged him into a conspiracy elaborated by them, which under the current US law is considered a serious crime," she said.

Bout was arrested in Bangkok in 2008 in a joint operation between Thai and US authorities, who accused him of conspiring to kill US nationals by allegedly agreeing to supply Columbian militants with weapons. Undercover agents posing as members of Columbia’s FARC rebel group were used as part of the operation.

In October 2015, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Bout was “unjustifiably convicted” and that the case was “another politicized step by the US judicial system, which clearly follows orders from 'above’.” According to the spokeswoman, Russia will continue its efforts to facilitate Bout’s return.