Michigan Native Arrested In Russia Sentenced to 16 Years In Prison for Espionage

Russian officials arrested Paul Whelan in Moscow in December, 2018, claiming he had a flash drive containing classified information.

Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, says he thought the drive contained vacation photos and maintains he was set up by a Russian who owed him money and was seeking a promotion from his superiors.

Click on the player above to hear the full interview with David Whelan on his brother’s sentencing and potential release.

Russia repeatedly extended Whelan’s detention, despite calls from U.S. officials to produce concrete evidence against him or free him.

“We are going to be looking at the U.S. government to engage and to find a way to have Paul released.” – David Whelan, brother of Paul Whelan

There was scant evidence presented against Whelan at his recent trial, held entirely behind closed doors.

His brother, David Whelan, says their family believed the guilty verdict was a foregone conclusion.

But David Whelan says there is a silver lining of sorts. He says Russia refused to even discuss a deal to release his brother until after he was officially convicted of spying.

“That obstacle is gone,” he says. “And we are going to be looking at the U.S. government to engage and to find a way to have Paul released.”

Russian officials are already floating the idea of exchanging Paul Whelan for Russians held in U.S. custody.

David says such a prisoner exchange is possible, but adds that it’s just as likely that it will take punitive sanctions or even a conciliatory gesture by Russian President Vladimir Putin to eventually free his brother.

In the meantime David says he and his family are still absorbing the impact of what he calls an unexpectedly harsh sentence handed-down by a Moscow judge.