DOJ charges 'Illegals Program' (including Anna Chapman); 10 plead guilty and are swapped
The Department of Justice charged 11 individuals on June 27, 2010, for acting as unregistered agents of the Russian Federation. Ten pleaded guilty on July 8, 2010, and were exchanged in a U.S.–Russia spy swap. The case, known as “Operation Ghost Stories,” involved covert communications and deep-cover identities. The spy ring operated in major U.S. cities, with Anna Chapman being the most prominent member, attempting to establish networks for potential intelligence gathering.
Key Actors
Sources (7)
- Ten Russian Agents Plead Guilty and Are to Be Removed to Russia (2010-07-08)
- Operation Ghost Stories (case history) (2010-07-01)
- The SoHo Spy: Stunning Anna Chapman Accused in Russian Spy Ring (2010-06-29)
- FBI Releases Video, Documents on Russian Spy Ring, Including Anna Chapman (2010-06-30)
- Anna Chapman - Wikipedia (2024-01-01)
- Operation Ghost Stories: Inside the Russian Spy Case (2025-10-15)
- The Big Spy Swap: The U.S.-Russia Secret Agent Exchange 10 Years Ago (2010-07-09)
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