Russian who admitted spying in U.S. gets 2½-year term

NEW YORK — A Russian banker who pleaded guilty to conspiracy in what the government portrayed as a Cold Warstyle spy ring was sentenced Wednesday to 2½ years in a U.S. prison.

Evgeny Buryakov, 41, also was fined $10,000 by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, who said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and protects the public.

Prosecutors said Buryakov teamed up with diplomats to gather sensitive economic intelligence on potential U.S. sanctions against Russian banks and on U.S. efforts to develop alternative energy resources.

The case was announced less than five years after the arrest of 10 covert agents. The sleeper cell was referred to as “The Illegals” by the foreign intelligence agency based in Moscow. Its members led ordinary lives for several years in the U.S. using aliases.

Buryakov pleaded guilty in March to conspiring to act as an unregistered agent in the U.S., and both sides had agreed that the 2½-year prison term would be appropriate.

Buryakov remains in custody. He has agreed to be deported when he completes his sentence, likely in March, after he is credited for good behavior.

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