The 11 people accused of being spies in the US for the Russian government were deeply undercover, expected to make friends with policymakers and infiltrate all levels of US political society. How successful were they? And what does the timing of their arrest, just after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit, mean for US-Russian relations?
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Eleven people have been detained in the United States for allegedly spying for the Russian government, the US Department of Justice said.
The 11 are charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government and can face a maximum of five years in prison if convicted.
Eight of them were arrested on June 27 for allegedly carrying out long-term assignments for the Russian government in the US. Two others were arrested the same day for allegedly participating in the same intelligence collecting operation.
Eight of the defendants are reportedly also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.
The individuals were arrested in New York, New Jersey, Boston and northern Virginia. An 11th suspect remains at large.
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