From Russia with love: Glamorous espionage

Did you hear about 28-year old Anna Chapman (real name Anya Kushchenko) who has been accused of spying? It seems she played a leading role in a Russian spy ring operating in the US. This is the stuff of James Bond films!

She was married to a British guy before she set off for the US and the question is, was that part of the scheme as well? Just to get a British passport?

Her father apparently used to work for the KGB. He was the Russian ambassador to Zimbabwe when they got married. The ex says: "He was scary... He had a Land Rover with blackedout windows and there was always one car in front and one behind..." (Daily Mail)

So what were these spies after?

"Alleged intercepted messages in court documents suggest they were asked to find information on topics including nuclear weapons, US arms control positions, Iran, White House rumours, CIA leadership turnover, and political parties..."

"Investigators say some of the agents had been using false identities since the early 1990s, using codes and engaging in advanced computer operations, including posting apparently innocent pictures on the internet which contained hidden text. The FBI also reported observing older techniques, such as messages sent by invisible ink, money being buried next to a beer-bottle marker and "brush pasts" in parks, where agents swap identical bags as they pass each other." (BBC)

How exciting is that?! I've always loved spy novels so this is pretty fascinating.

She moved to New York and climbed up the social ladder, mingling with the rich and influential...

Nice Chanel bag!

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