10 Russians in Spy Case Plead Guilty, Ordered Deported
VOA News 08 July 2010
A U.S. judge has ordered 10 suspects in a Russian spy ring deported as part of a swap between the United States and Russia.
Judge Kimba Wood handed down her order in New York City moments after all 10 pleaded guilty in what a federal prosecutor called a plea bargain.
U.S. Justice Department officials say that in exchange for the 10, Russia will free four people that U.S. officials say were jailed for alleged contacts with Western intelligence.
The four have not been identified. But Justice Department officials say three were convicted of treason. Some are said to be in poor health.
Earlier Thursday, Russian nuclear scientist Igor Sutyagin reportedly left a Moscow jail for Vienna, on his way to London.
Sutyagin was serving prison time on charges of passing Russian secrets to a British company Russia says was a CIA front.
His family denies the charges.
The 10 suspects quietly lived and worked in the United States while trying to gather information about U.S. nuclear weapons and politics for Russia intelligence.
An 11th suspect was arrested on Cyprus and disappeared after posting bail.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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