paul whelan bad conduct discharge

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. Cleve R. Wootson Jr. contributed to this report. Defence lawyers disclosed some details of the men's relationship early on in the case, including how the American had visited his friend's house in Sergiev Posad outside Moscow for "saunas and kebabs" the winter before his arrest. "And a catastrophe for Paul". The records show he was also accused of using a false Social Security number on a government computer system and using a false account on the system to grade his own examinations. Although we were only allowed to attend for the opening remarks, we managed to snatch several conversations with him. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. Whelan received what is categorized broadly as a punitive discharge. In Frode Berg's case, the Norwegian government stayed quiet. 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. He received a Bad Conduct Discharge as the result of a UCMJ Courts Martial. After news of Griners release Thursday, U.S. officials lamented not being able to secure Whelans release, but said they were continuing the efforts. Paul Whelan was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2008 following a special court-martial. The Interfax news agency says he has denied the allegation. 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. Whelan, 48, was arrested Fridayin Moscow, and was charged withespionage. That year he told a Marines news site that he'd taken advantage of a programme that funded a two-week break abroad for those on long deployments. [34] He said: "I presume that he is innocent because, for now, I haven't seen any evidence against him that would prove otherwise. Q1. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes. "[12], When arrested in Russia, Whelan was director of global security and investigations for BorgWarner, an international automotive parts manufacturer based in Michigan. Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime. Eleven years later, its officers would drive him there for interrogation. He was formally charged on January 3, 2019. Kristen Jordan Shamus - Detroit Free Press. The Whelan family eventually found a name and even a photograph. In Room 3324 of Moscow's Metropol hotel, Paul Whelan was getting dressed for a friend's wedding when Russian intelligence officers burst in. The man Whelan accuses of framing him was one of his oldest friends in Russia. Both Ireland and the U.K. have asked that their diplomats be allowed to visit him. He held the rank of staff sergeant with Marine Air Control Group 38 working as an administrative clerk and administrative chief, and he was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 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. 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. Currently a corporate security expert, Whelan made several trips to Russia, had Russian friends, was reportedly learning Russian, and has been using Russian social media for years, CNN and the Post reported. Paul Whelan received a 'bad conduct discharge' from the Marines in 2008. To know the authentic details on Paul Whelan Dishonorable Discharge news, read through this blog until very close. "No-one's hiding that, everyone talks about it, all the officials," he told the press. He had no idea his friend had been arrested. In 2016 he left the company and became the director for global security in a US-based company. [43] The Russian side insisted on the additional release of Vadim Krasikov, an assassin serving a life sentence for murder in Germany. Mr Whelan was "responsible for overseeing security" at facilities in Michigan and around the world, a company statement said. Also, the readers can find theUnited Statesgovernments reaction to Paul Whelans arrest. ago. [19] David said the family had not known Paul had a bad conduct discharge. passport. Paul Whelan's Marine discharge was larceny related - Detroit Whelan, his family and the U.S. government have repeatedly stated that the charges are baseless and that he was framed. The first time I saw Whelan in court, well over a year ago, he arrived with a weak smile and a brown cardboard box hugged to his chest containing a packed prison lunch. The latest: WNBA star Brittney Griner landed in the United States around 5:30 a.m. ", Zherebenko has worked on the high-profile international case of a Russian accused of. "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. "They don't want me to speak with you.". "[25][39], Whelan was initially held at the Correctional Colony No. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. But when I asked for his side of the story, his eyes flicked towards the guards. Though U.S. President Joe Biden had been attempting to secure the release of both Griner and Whelan in one move, Russian authorities refused to include Whelan in any trade. "I don't know anything what [sic] might be interesting to foreign spy. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. [42] On July 27, 2022, it was announced that President Joe Biden had offered a trade for Whelan and WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was arrested in Russia in February on drug charges, in exchange for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed "The Merchant of Death". Lawyer Vladimir Zherebyonkov was soon saying the same, now claiming the FSB had been planning a swap all along. [1], U.S. MILITARY JUSTICE QUICK GUIDE. 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. Paul Whelan (security director) - Wikipedia Dan McCafferty Nazareth: Know Cause of Death! The Pentagon, which released his records, said the charges related to larceny. Paul Whelan But in 2008 Mr Whelan, who had achieved the rank of staff sergeant, was discharged from the marines for bad conduct. "The porridge, some days it goes direct to the toilet," Frode Berg wrote to me from northern Norway of life in the FSB prison. [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. So no evidence - the wire taps or surveillance footage the case is reportedly based on - has been made public. Who is Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine held in Russia? Whelan was friends with young servicemen in the US, though, too. Whelan was born on March 5, 1970,[4] in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,[5] to British parents with Irish heritage. There were signs of problems even earlier. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred, he said in a phone interview with CNN from the remote Russian penal colony where he is being detained. And so Paul will remain a prisoner until that changes, he said while applauding Griners release. His rank was downgraded to corporal as he was found guilty of cheque bounce and attempted theft of around $10,000 during his office. 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. 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. Paul Whelan Dishonorable Discharge: What Charges Made To [7], He was an IT manager for the Kelly Services staffing company from 2001[8] to 2003, and then 2008 to 2010. Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC. Whelan, arrested Dec. 28, 2018, in a Moscow hotel, has said he thought the flash drive that he received from an acquaintance contained holiday photos. [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. mannymoelarry 2 mo. Mr Whelan, 52, was given a 16-year jail sentence in 2020 after being arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying in 2018. [37][38] His lawyers said they believed Russia would now seek a prisoner swap. He left the company in 2016 and started working for BorgWarner, an Auburn Hills-based auto supplier, in 2017, according to company spokeswoman Kathy Graham. Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. Accused spy Paul Whelan was discharged from Marines for bad In a statement following Ms Griner's release, David Whelan said that the Biden administration warned the family ahead of time that Paul would not be released as part of the exchange. [4][c] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "We've made clear to the Russians our expectation that we will learn more about the charges, come to understand what it is he's been accused of and if the detention is not appropriate, we will demand his immediate return. Whe He Dead? Almost two months had passed since his arrest, and he said he was coping "fine". His attorney, Vladimir Zherebenkov, has said his client unwittingly received a flash drive containing state secrets while visiting Russia for a wedding in 2018. Quite dilapidated. The former Marine said he was living in quite crowded spaces and estimated that his building housed 50 to 60 people. 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. Almost 18 months later, Whelan has been convicted of spying - receiving Russian state secrets - after a short trial conducted entirely behind closed doors. 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. [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 also told CNN he had a recurring cough and noted that getting medical care was difficult even prevented by guards in the colony. Paul Whelan 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. But the space measures 9.5 square metres between two prisoners and exercise is one hour a day on the roof. 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. "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. '," a former colleague, Skotti Fietsam, told the BBC. Just two weeks after his arrest, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that the American had been caught "red-handed" conducting a "concrete, illegal act". Video, 00:01:32Brother of detained American speaks, The Russian gun activist who was jailed in US. Video, 00:01:32, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Since late 2018, he has been held on espionage charges, which he denies. "No way? WebPaul Whelan may refer to: . 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. 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. 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. Check Wiki to Know About Solana Valley NFT (Sep 2021) Token price & How To Buy! Former CIA officers have dismissed any suggestion that Whelan could be involved in something similar, operating without diplomatic immunity: the idea, floated by one retired Russian officer, that his arrest was a "great failure" of US intelligence. Is he an ex-marine officer? The company disclosed that it didnt have any facilities in Russia. 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. 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". Whelans last place of duty was Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California. He'd prepare a speech for each session, writing it out on a sheet of paper vetted and stamped by the prison censors. U.S. military record convicting Paul Whelan of stealing $10,400 while at Al Asad air base, Iraq in 2006. pic.twitter.com/C9MVeHb5RK. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Who is Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine held in Russia? Who is Paul Whelan? He wasn't allowed a phone call home for 16 months. So the prisoner who has always called himself a political hostage is now looking to the politicians to do a deal for his release. While not as severe as a dishonorable discharge, a bad conduct discharge is a significant punishment in the U.S. military justice system. The Ex-Marine officer Whelan stated that he was in Russia to attend a friends wedding, and he knew that the flash drive contained some holiday photos he had received. "Whelan, do you understand the sentence?" At the same time, Washington was still accusing Moscow of meddling in its elections. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. ", US 'outraged' as Russia jails American for spying. Born in Canada to British parents of Irish heritage, he later moved to the US entitling him to multiple passports as a result. He described his fellow inmates as quite welcoming.. "[14] A few weeks later, Zherebenkov said Whelan had been unaware of the contents of the USB drive and believed it contained material solely of personal value such as "photographs, videos, anything at all, about his previous holiday in Russia. It is in this context that the nature of Whelan's discharge from the Marines received renewed attention. "We never see or meet other prisoners. He has no apparent link to the military himself and joked to me via VK that the American "didn't request to see anything suspicious :))". His rank was downgraded to corporal as he was found guilty of cheque bounce and attempted theft of around $10,000 during his office. Paul Whelan's Marine discharge was larceny related - Detroit The three judges swept off the podium and out of court. the man replied to my enquiries, adding that his own interest was in the ex-Marine's time in Iraq. At the time, he was identified only as an American but officials say Whelan also has British citizenship. Watching from the wooden courtroom benches, socially distanced and in medical facemasks, were the ambassadors of the US, UK and Canada. He is currently facingChargesof16 years imprisonmentunder the IK-17 penal colony of the Mordovia region, located in east Moscow. AP NEWS, 8 Dec. 2022, https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-michigan-united-states-government-russia-bbf0c7e3029fea40d604b11fd271533f. The US government has been tight-lipped regarding efforts to release Mr Whelan. Whelan's last place of duty was Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California. Paul Whelan "If you've got mixed up in something like this, then you're in the most complicated story of your life," Ivan Pavlov says. He served 14 years in the [14], On December 28, 2018, Whelan was arrested in the Moscow area by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), which later confirmed his arrest. The Russian described the two spending several days "touring Moscow" together, eating sushi and caviar-filled pancakes. The American disappeared without trace for three days until his twin stumbled across a news report announcing that his brother had been charged with espionage. Paul Whelan - Wikipedia Skotti Fietsam, his former colleague, found Whelan serious and supportive, but also laughed at how he would insist on using heavily armed guards when he visited the factory she managed in Mexico, even posting them outside restaurants while they ate. And adding to his discomfort was chronic pain from a hernia that eventually strangulated, resulting in emergency surgery. Family handout/AFP. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. He urged the U.S. Congress and the State Department to help get his brother freed. Whelan joked back then on his website, which has since been archived. Here's what we know about Mr Whelan and his case. 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. [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. (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 26 Aug. 2008, https://www.jag.navy.mil/courts/documents/archive/2008/WHELAN,%20P.N.%20200800152%20PCE.pdf. After the Salisbury poisoning in early 2018, more than 100 Russian diplomats identified as intelligence agents were expelled from embassies around the world in a co-ordinated act of protest. Paul Whelan received a punitive discharge from the Marines. The Marine Corps released Whelans service record, showing that he was convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. "He has friends in other countries with a military background, I think it was a social thing," David Whelan argues. The Salisbury poisoning: What happened next? Join our brand new verified AMN Telegram channel and get important news uncensored! It said it made the request after receiving a request for assistance from an Irish citizen detained in Moscow. He's the kindest soul! 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. At Kelly Services, his title was senior manager of global security and investigations. Such a punishment generally disqualifies a former Marine from receiving Veterans Affairs benefits. Whelan, 48, was arrested Friday in Moscow, and was charged with espionage. 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. The news that Paul Whelan holds citizenship in four countries brings international pressure on Russia from several fronts. Whelan's arrest comes just two weeks after alleged Russian spy Maria Butina pleaded guilty in the US to conspiracy charges. The Marine Corps released Whelan's service record, showing that hewas convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny. The lawyer warns that the FSB is the "mightiest secret service, not only in Russia," and uses its own experts to examine any evidence for the court. Curious To Check Full Wiki! Paul Whelan's travels in Russia began more than a decade ago. The two met in person for a few hours in 2008 when Whelan was touring Russia, visiting multiple friends in various cities. New details have emerged about the military history Novi businessman Paul Whelan, who has been accused of spying in Russia. One VK friend still in the military told me the American first messaged when he was a cadet and the two have chatted online two or three times a week ever since. Relations between Moscow and London are at a low point in the wake of Britains allegations that Russian military intelligence agents were behind the nerve-agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury in March. "I can't imagine he [Paul] retains any hope that a government will negotiate his freedom at this point. U.S. military records released shortly after his arrest last week showed that Paul Whelan had been convicted at a court-martial of charges that included larceny but did not disclose the nature of his crime. Officials say the American ex-Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship. Time for Russia to release Paul Whelan - Washington Times Odds are he did something wrong. He's now back home after a prisoner-swap.

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