Spy Suspects Plead Guilty Ahead of Swap

All 10 are expected to be deported to Russia tonight
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 8, 2010 3:48 PM CDT
Spy Suspects Plead Guilty Ahead of Swap
A courtroom sketch of suspects in a New York court on June 28.   (AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams)

"Richard Murphy" is really Vladimir Guryev. "Donald Howard Heathfield" is really Andrey Bezrukov. Hottie spy Anna Chapman is really ... Anna Chapman. All 10 defendants accused of being deep-cover Russian agents pleaded guilty today under their real names, reports the Wall Street Journal. The deal allows them to avoid jail in the US and be deported to Moscow, probably within hours. In exchange, Russia is expected to release four US spies, says AP.

The most prominent of that group is Russian physicist Igor Sutyagin, who is believed to have already left Russia or is about to do so. "No one has solid information," said his mother, who lives near Moscow. "Nobody has said anything officially and Igor himself hasn't called." (More Russian spies stories.)

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