The arrests were made Sunday and Monday in Boston, New York, New Jersey and Virginia, Department of Justice announced on Tuesday, claiming the title of "illegals" were tasked on the Russian SVR intelligence to enter the United States, assume false identity personality and conduct espionage activities.
"These Russian secret agents were working to hide all the connections between them and Russia, even if they are acting on the direction and control of the RAF, the secret agents, commonly referred to as" illegals ", the FBI said in a complaint filed in U.S. court yesterday.
"Illegal" agents of the SVR as a rule, receive extensive training before coming to the United States.
"This course is typically focused on, among other things, including the use of hand held, short-wave radio operation and invisible writing, the use of codes and ciphers, including the use of encrypted messages Morse code, create and use cover trade, counter-surveillance measures, concealment and destruction of equipment and material used in connection with their activities as agents, and avoid detection during their work as agents, the FBI alleged.
Each of these charge sheeted - in all 11, including 10 arrested - faces up to 5 years imprisonment.
Nine of them were charge sheeted for laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment.
One defendant remains at large.
FBI arrests are the result of years of research.
In a coded message in 2009, two of them were chargesheeted by their bosses in Russia, the search and development of communications in policy-making circles in the U.S. and sent intelligence reports to Centre - the headquarters of the RAF.
Chargesheet argues that some of those arrested had received money from Russian missions to the United States since January 14, 2000.
Money at times were buried in the ground.
"To achieve the objectives of the conspiracy, Moscow Center organized for the defendants secretly communicate with Russia.
"In particular, the conspirators used, among other things, the secret methods of communication - steganography and radiograms," he said.
Those charged include: Christopher Metsos, Richard Murphy, Cynthia Murphy, Donald Hatfield, Tracy Lee Anne Foley, Michael Zottoli, Patricia Mills, Juan Lazaro, Vicky Pelaez, Anna Chapman, and Michael Semenko.
