Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Diplomats Accused of U.S. Healthcare Fraud Could Be Spies, Report Says

Some of the Russian diplomats and their spouses accused by the U.S. authorities of defrauding a health care program for low-income citizens could be also have engaged in espionage, a news report said.

The FBI has been tracking some of the diplomats believed to have been spying, but failed to collect enough evidence to charge them, CNN reported Monday, citing unidentified counterintelligence investigators.

The numbers, names and details on how and where the diplomats could collect classified American data were not provided.

Most of the diplomats and their family members, who are charged with fraudulently claiming a total of $1.5 million in benefits from the health care program Medicaid in relations to maternity costs, have already left the United States. All the accused workers are expected to return to Russia in the near future.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more