Approved:
MICHAEL FARBIARZ/GLEN KOPP/JASON SMITH
A s s i s t a n t United States Attorneys
KATHLEEN KEDIAN
T r i a l A t t o r n e y , Counterespionage Section,
N a t i o n a l S e c u r i t y D i v i s i o n , Department o f J u s t i c e
Before:
HONORABLE RONALD L. ELLIS
U n i t e d S t a t e s M a g i s t r a t e Judge
S o u t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f New Y o r k
SEALED
COMPLAINT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
-v. -
Violation of
18 U.S.C. § .371
ANNA CHAPMAN, a n d
MIKHAIL SEMENKO,
COUNTY OF OFFENSE:
NEW YORK
Defendants.
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, s s .
AMIT KACHHIA-PATEL, b e i n g d u l y sworn, deposes and says
t h a t he i s a S p e c i a l Agent w i t h t h e F e d e r a l Bureau o f
I n v e s t i g a t i o n ("FBI") and charges as f o l l o w s :
COUNT ONE
C o n s p i r a c y t o A c t a s U n r e g i s t e r e d Agents o f a F o r e i g n Government
1.
From i n o r about t h e 1990s, up t o a n d i n c l u d i n g
t h e p r e s e n t , i n t h e S o u t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f New Y o r k a n d e l s e w h e r e ,
ANNA CHAPMAN a n d MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t s , a n d o t h e r s
known and unknown, u n l a w f u l l y , w i l l f u l l y a n d k n o w i n g l y , d i d
combine, c o n s p i r e , c o n f e d e r a t e , and a g r e e t o g e t h e r and w i t h each
o t h e r t o commit an o f f e n s e a g a i n s t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , t o w i t , t o
v i o l a t e S e c t i o n 951 o f T i t l e 18, U n i t e d S t a t e s Code.
2.
I t was a p a r t and an o b j e c t o f t h e c o n s p i r a c y t h a t
ANNA CHAPMAN a n d MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t s , a n d o t h e r s
known and unknown, u n l a w f u l l y , w i l l f u l l y and k n o w i n g l y , w o u l d and
d i d a c t i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s as a g e n t s o f a f o r e i g n government,
s p e c i f i c a l l y t h e Russian Federation, w i t h o u t p r i o r n o t i f i c a t i o n
t o t h e A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l , as r e q u i r e d by l a w , i n v i o l a t i o n o f
T i t l e 18, U n i t e d S t a t e s Code, S e c t i o n 9 5 1 .
Overt A c t s
3.
I n f u r t h e r a n c e o f t h e c o n s p i r a c y and t o e f f e c t t h e
i l l e g a l o b j e c t t h e r e o f , t h e f o l l o w i n g o v e r t a c t s , among o t h e r s ,
were c o m m i t t e d i n t h e S o u t h e r n D i s t r i c t o f New Y o r k and
elsewhere:
a.
On o r about June 26, 2010, ANNA CHAPMAN, t h e
d e f e n d a n t , met w i t h an i n d i v i d u a l p u r p o r t i n g t o be a R u s s i a n
Government o f f i c i a l i n Manhattan, New Y o r k , a t w h i c h she
(CHAPMAN) r e c e i v e d a f r a u d u l e n t p a s s p o r t .
b.
On o r about June 26, 2010, MIKHAIL SEMENKO,
t h e d e f e n d a n t , met w i t h an i n d i v i d u a l p u r p o r t i n g t o be a R u s s i a n
Government o f f i c i a l i n Washington, D.C.
( T i t l e 18, U n i t e d S t a t e s Code, S e c t i o n 371.)
The bases f o r my knowledge a n d t h e f o r e g o i n g
a r e , i n p a r t , as f o l l o w s :
charges
4.
I have been a S p e c i a l A g e n t w i t h t h e FBI f o r
a p p r o x i m a t e l y f i v e y e a r s . C u r r e n t l y , I am a s s i g n e d t o t h e
C o u n t e r i n t e l l i g e n c e D i v i s i o n w i t h i n t h e New York F i e l d O f f i c e o f
t h e F B I . The f o c u s o f my c o u n t e r i n t e l l i g e n c e e f f o r t s has been on
the f o r e i g n i n t e l l i g e n c e a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e Russian F e d e r a t i o n . I
have l e a r n e d t h e f a c t s c o n t a i n e d i n t h i s C o m p l a i n t f r o m , among
o t h e r s o u r c e s , my p e r s o n a l p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n ,
my d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h o t h e r l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s , searches t h a t I
have c o n d u c t e d , s u r v e i l l a n c e t h a t I have c o n d u c t e d , and my r e v i e w
o f documents, v i d e o and a u d i o r e c o r d i n g s , a n d o t h e r e v i d e n t i a r y
materials.
Because t h i s C o m p l a i n t i s b e i n g s u b m i t t e d f o r t h e
l i m i t e d p u r p o s e o f e s t a b l i s h i n g p r o b a b l e cause, i t does n o t
i n c l u d e e v e r y f a c t t h a t I have l e a r n e d d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h i s
investigation.
F u r t h e r , any s t a t e m e n t s r e l a t e d h e r e i n a r e
r e l a t e d i n s u b s t a n c e and i n p a r t o n l y .
I
THE "ILLEGALS" PROGRAM
5.
The FBI has c o n d u c t e d a m u l t i - y e a r i n v e s t i g a t i o n
of a network o f U n i t e d States-based agents o f t h e f o r e i g n
2
1
i n t e l l i g e n c e o r g a n o f t h e Russian F e d e r a t i o n ( t h e "SVR").
The
t a r g e t s o f t h e FBI's i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n c l u d e c o v e r t SVR agents who
assume f a l s e i d e n t i t i e s , and who a r e l i v i n g i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
on l o n g - t e r m , " d e e p - c o v e r " assignments.
These R u s s i a n s e c r e t
agents work t o h i d e a l l c o n n e c t i o n s between t h e m s e l v e s and
Russia, even as t h e y a c t a t t h e d i r e c t i o n and under t h e c o n t r o l
o f t h e SVR; t h e s e s e c r e t agents a r e t y p i c a l l y c a l l e d " i l l e g a l s . "
As s e t f o r t h i n more d e t a i l i n t h e a t t a c h e d C o m p l a i n t , see
Attachment A, w h i c h i s i n c o r p o r a t e d by r e f e r e n c e h e r e i n , i l l e g a l s
r e c e i v e e x t e n s i v e t r a i n i n g by t h e SVR b e f o r e b e i n g a s s i g n e d t o a
f o r e i g n c o u n t r y u n d e r a f a l s e i d e n t i t y t o o p e r a t e on b e h a l f o f
Russia.
See C o m p l a i n t
8-9 ( d e s c r i b i n g i l l e g a l s ' t r a i n i n g , and
use o f f a l s e i d e n t i t i e s ) .
6.
The SVR a l s o o p e r a t e s a s u b s e t o f i l l e g a l s — who
p e r f o r m t h e same work as i l l e g a l s , b u t o p e r a t e i n f o r e i g n
c o u n t r i e s u n d e r t h e i r t r u e names. T h i s s u b s e t o f i l l e g a l s i s
g e n e r a l l y t r a i n e d i n r o u g h l y t h e same t r a d e - c r a f t as t h e o t h e r
i l l e g a l s ( i n c l u d i n g agent-to-agent communications, i n v i s i b l e
w r i t i n g , and t h e use o f a c o v e r p r o f e s s i o n ) , b u t t h e i r t r a i n i n g
is t y p i c a l l y shorter.
I n a d d i t i o n , these i l l e g a l s are not
g e n e r a l l y p a i r e d w i t h another i l l e g a l .
7.
The FBI's i n v e s t i g a t i o n has r e v e a l e d t h a t a
n e t w o r k o f i l l e g a l s ( t h e " I l l e g a l s " ) i s now l i v i n g and o p e r a t i n g
i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s i n t h e s e r v i c e o f one p r i m a r y , l o n g - t e r m
g o a l : t o become s u f f i c i e n t l y " A m e r i c a n i z e d " such t h a t t h e y can
g a t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n about t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s f o r R u s s i a , and can
s u c c e s s f u l l y r e c r u i t sources who a r e i n , o r a r e a b l e t o .
i n f i l t r a t e , United States policy-making c i r c l e s .
8.
The SVR s p e l l e d o u t t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e I l l e g a l s '
presence i n A m e r i c a i n a 2009 message t o two c o - c o n s p i r a t o r s who
a r e named as d e f e n d a n t s i n t h e a t t a c h e d C o m p l a i n t .
That message,
which was s e n t by Moscow C e n t e r , has been d e c r y p t e d by t h e FBI
and r e a d s , i n p a r t , as f o l l o w s :
You were s e n t t o USA f o r l o n g - t e r m s e r v i c e t r i p .
Your
e d u c a t i o n , bank a c c o u n t s , c a r , house e t c . — a l l t h e s e
s e r v e one g o a l : f u l f i l l y o u r main m i s s i o n , i . e . t o
s e a r c h and d e v e l o p t i e s i n p o l i c y m a k i n g c i r c l e s i n US
and send i n t e l s [ i n t e l l i g e n c e r e p o r t s ] t o C [ e n t e r ] .
1
Center" or
The SVR h e a d q u a r t e r s
"Center."
i n Moscow i s known as "Moscow
3
9.
Based on t h e f a c t s s e t f o r t h below, I b e l i e v e
t h a t ANNA CHAPMAN and MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t s , a r e p a r t
o f t h e s u b s e t o f I l l e g a l s who, as d e s c r i b e d above i n Paragraph
7, o p e r a t e under t h e i r t r u e names.
10.
I am aware t h a t f e d e r a l l a w r e q u i r e s i n d i v i d u a l s
who a r e a c t i n g as a g e n t s f o r f o r e i g n governments t o n o t i f y t h e
Attorney General o f t h e United States.
The Department o f
J u s t i c e ("DOJ") m a i n t a i n s f i l e s o f a l l i n d i v i d u a l s who have
r e g i s t e r e d as a g e n t s o f f o r e i g n governments.
A recentlyc o n d u c t e d r e v i e w o f DOJ f i l e s i n d i c a t e s t h a t ANNA CHAPMAN and
MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t s , have n e v e r n o t i f i e d t h e DOJ
t h a t he o r she i s an agent o f t h e R u s s i a n F e d e r a t i o n .
II.
MEANS AND METHODS OF THE CONSPIRACY:
COVERT COMMUNICATIONS BY PRIVATE WIRELESS NETWORKS
11.
To f u r t h e r t h e aims o f t h e c o n s p i r a c y , Moscow
C e n t e r has a r r a n g e d f o r t h e d e f e n d a n t s c l a n d e s t i n e l y t o
communicate w i t h t h e R u s s i a n F e d e r a t i o n .
I nparticular, the
c o n s p i r a t o r s have used a number o f methods o f s e c r e t
communications.
See C o m p l a i n t I I I . A .
As s e t f o r t h below, t h e s e
i n c l u d e c o v e r t c o m m u n i c a t i o n s b y means o f p r i v a t e w i r e l e s s
networks.
12.
I n g e n e r a l terms, c o v e r t communication v i a a
p r i v a t e w i r e l e s s network i s a form o f e l e c t r o n i c communication
t h r o u g h p a i r e d l a p t o p computers.
Such c o v e r t c o m m u n i c a t i o n
u t i l i z e s t e m p o r a r y w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k s t h a t s p r i n g up between two
computers a n d c a n be used t o t r a n s m i t d a t a between them. The
way t h i s s y s t e m t y p i c a l l y works i s as f o l l o w s :
a laptop
computer ("LAPTOP A") i s p r e - c o n f i g u r e d t o c r e a t e i t s own
p r i v a t e w i r e l e s s l o c a l area network. T h i s w i r e l e s s network i s
programmed t o o n l y communicate w i t h a n o t h e r s p e c i f i c l a p t o p
("LAPTOP B " ) , based on LAPTOP B's Media Access C o n t r o l ("MAC")
address.
Once LAPTOP A t r a n s m i t s t h e s i g n a l t o e s t a b l i s h i t s
own p r i v a t e w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k , i t w i l l be " j o i n e d " by LAPTOP B
when LAPTOP B comes w i t h i n a c e r t a i n p h y s i c a l d i s t a n c e o f LAPTOP
A. Once t h e t w o l a p t o p computers a r e b o t h on t h e p r i v a t e
w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k , t h e y can communicate w i t h each o t h e r b y
2
2
A MAC a d d r e s s i s a u n i q u e i d e n t i f y i n g number a s s i g n e d
by a m a n u f a c t u r e r t o e l e c t r o n i c c o m m u n i c a t i o n s d e v i c e s , such as
l a p t o p computers a n d W i - F i n e t w o r k c a r d s . A l l computers t h a t
access t h e i n t e r n e t t h r o u g h a w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k do so b y p u b l i c l y
b r o a d c a s t i n g t h e i r MAC addresses v i a r a d i o t r a n s m i s s i o n i n o r d e r
t o l o c a t e a d e v i c e connected t o t h e i n t e r n e t .
4
e x c h a n g i n g d a t a . The d a t a can be e n c r y p t e d so t h a t i t can o n l y
be r e a d w i t h t h e a i d o f s p e c i a l i z e d d e c r y p t i o n s o f t w a r e , s i m i l a r
t o t h a t used t o d e c r y p t messages h i d d e n t h r o u g h s t e g a n o g r a p h y ,
as d e s c r i b e d i n t h e C o m p l a i n t a t t a c h e d h e r e t o .
1.
ANNA CHAPMAN' S USE OF PRIVATE WIRELESS NETWORKS
13.
S i n c e i n o r about January 2010, l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t
agents, a c t i n g pursuant t o j u d i c i a l orders, conducted
s u r v e i l l a n c e o f ANNA CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t , a t v a r i o u s
l o c a t i o n s i n New Y o r k C i t y .
On a p p r o x i m a t e l y t e n Wednesdays
between J a n u a r y 2010 and June 2010, l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s
o b s e r v e d CHAPMAN i n t h e p h y s i c a l v i c i n i t y o f an i n d i v i d u a l
("Russian Government O f f i c i a l #1") who has, on m u l t i p l e
o c c a s i o n s , been o b s e r v e d e n t e r i n g t h e R u s s i a n M i s s i o n t o t h e
U n i t e d Nations i n Manhattan.
Based on my t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e ,
and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I b e l i e v e t h a t on each
o f t h e s e t e n o c c a s i o n s , CHAPMAN and Russian Government O f f i c i a l
#1 c o v e r t l y exchanged e l e c t r o n i c communications v i a a p r i v a t e
w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k , as d e s c r i b e d above.
14.
S e t f o r t h below a r e c e r t a i n examples o f
Wednesdays on w h i c h ANNA CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t , and Russian
Government O f f i c i a l # 1 , were i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f each o t h e r , i n
o r d e r t o exchange e l e c t r o n i c messages c o v e r t l y .
a.
On J a n u a r y 20, 2010, l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s ,
a c t i n g pursuant t o j u d i c i a l orders,
p e r f o r m e d v i d e o s u r v e i l l a n c e on a c o f f e e
shop l o c a t e d near t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f 4 7
S t r e e t and 8 Avenue i n M a n h a t t a n , New York
(the " C o f f e e Shop").
CHAPMAN was s e a t e d
near t h e window o f t h e C o f f e e Shop and had
w i t h h e r a bag ( t h e " T o t e B a g " ) .
After
approximately t e n minutes, I observed a
m i n i v a n pass b y t h e window o f t h e C o f f e e
Shop. Based on my c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h
a n o t h e r l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t , I know t h a t
R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l #1 has been
o b s e r v e d d r i v i n g t h e m i n i v a n , r e c o g n i z e d by
i t s l i c e n s e p l a t e , on a number o f o c c a s i o n s
subsequent t o January 20, 2010.
As p a r t o f
the s u r v e i l l a n c e o p e r a t i o n , law-enforcement
agents u t i l i z e d a c o m m e r c i a l l y a v a i l a b l e
t o o l t h a t can d e t e c t t h e p r e s e n c e o f
w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k s . The a g e n t s d e t e c t e d t h e
p r e s e n c e o f a p a r t i c u l a r n e t w o r k ( t h e "AD
HOC NETWORK") w i t h two a s s o c i a t e d MAC
th
th
5
addresses ("MAC ADDRESS A" and "MAC ADDRESS
B").
Based on my t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and
participation i n this investigation, I
b e l i e v e t h a t on January 20, CHAPMAN ( f r o m
t h e C o f f e e Shop) and R u s s i a n Government
O f f i c i a l #1 ( f r o m t h e m i n i v a n ) used t h e i r
l a p t o p computers ( w h i c h b o r e "MAC ADDRESS A"
and- "MAC ADDRESS B") t o c r e a t e t h e AD HOC
NETWORK and t o use i t t o communicate w i t h
one a n o t h e r .
b.
On March 17, 2010, l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s ,
a c t i n g pursuant t o j u d i c i a l orders,
p e r f o r m e d v i d e o s u r v e i l l a n c e on a book s t o r e
l o c a t e d i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f Greenwich and
Warren S t r e e t s i n M a n h a t t a n ( t h e "Book
Store").
CHAPMAN was i n s i d e t h e Book S t o r e .
A t t h e same t i m e , R u s s i a n Government
O f f i c i a l #1 was a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t f r o m t h e
Book S t o r e , c a r r y i n g a b r i e f c a s e . I
o b s e r v e d CHAPMAN p u l l a l a p t o p o u t o f t h e
T o t e Bag.
CHAPMAN s t a y e d i n t h e Book S t o r e
f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h i r t y m i n u t e s ; Russian
Government O f f i c i a l # 1 was i n t h e v i c i n i t y
o f t h e Book S t o r e ( b u t o u t s i d e ) f o r
approximately twenty o f those t h i r t y
m i n u t e s . As p a r t o f t h e s u r v e i l l a n c e
o p e r a t i o n , law-enforcement agents u t i l i z e d a
c o m m e r c i a l l y a v a i l a b l e t o o l t h a t can d e t e c t
t h e presence o f w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k s . Lawe n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s were a b l e t o d e t e c t a
p a r t i c u l a r MAC address - MAC ADDRESS A - a t
t h e t i m e t h a t CHAPMAN was o b s e r v e d p o w e r i n g
on h e r l a p t o p computer; l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t
a g e n t s were a l s o a b l e t o d e t e r m i n e t h a t t h e
e l e c t r o n i c d e v i c e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h MAC
ADDRESS A c r e a t e d t h e AD HOC NETWORK.
Approximately three minutes a f t e r the
c r e a t i o n o f t h e AD HOC NETWORK, a n o t h e r
e l e c t r o n i c d e v i c e w i t h MAC ADDRESS B was
d e t e c t e d j o i n i n g t h e AD HOC NETWORK.
c.
On A p r i l 7, 2010, l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s ,
a c t i n g pursuant t o j u d i c i a l orders,
p e r f o r m e d s u r v e i l l a n c e on R u s s i a n Government
O f f i c i a l #1 s t a r t i n g f r o m t h e p o i n t t h a t he
l e f t h i s o f f i c e i n m i d - t o w n Manhattan.
A c c o r d i n g t o a l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t agent who was
6
p e r f o r m i n g s u r v e i l l a n c e on R u s s i a n
Government O f f i c i a l # 1 , i t appeared t h a t
R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l # 1 n o t i c e d t h e
p r e s e n c e o f t h e s u r v e i l l a n c e team and
returned to his office.
As p a r t o f t h e
s u r v e i l l a n c e o p e r a t i o n , law-enforcement
agents u t i l i z e d a c o m m e r c i a l l y a v a i l a b l e
t o o l t h a t can d e t e c t t h e p r e s e n c e o f
w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k s . On t h i s o c c a s i o n ; t h e
a g e n t s d e t e c t e d t h e p r e s e n c e o f MAC ADDRESS
A, b u t n o t MAC ADDRESS B. Based on my
t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n
t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I b e l i e v e t h a t on A p r i l
7, R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l #1 s e t o u t t o
communicate c o v e r t l y w i t h CHAPMAN, who was
u s i n g a l a p t o p computer t h a t b o r e MAC
ADDRESS A - b u t t h a t he ( R u s s i a n Government
O f f i c i a l #1) a b o r t e d h i s e f f o r t s t o
communicate w i t h CHAPMAN because he d e t e c t e d
t h e FBI's s u r v e i l l a n c e o f him.
d.
B.
On A p r i l 2 1 , 2010, May 5, 2010, June 9,
2010, and June 16, 2010, l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t
agents, a c t i n g pursuant t o j u d i c i a l orders,
o b s e r v e d CHAPMAN i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f Russian
Government O f f i c i a l # 1 . On each o f t h e s e
f o u r occasions, law-enforcement agents
d i s c e r n e d t h e 'presence o f MAC ADDRESS A and
MAC ADDRESS B u s i n g t h e c o m m e r c i a l l y a v a i l a b l e t o o l d e s c r i b e d above, and were
able t o determine t h a t a f t e r the e l e c t r o n i c
d e v i c e s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h MAC ADDRESS A and
MAC ADDRESS B j o i n e d t h e AD HOC NETWORK, t h e
e l e c t r o n i c d e v i c e s t r a n s f e r r e d d a t a between,
each o t h e r .
MIKHAIL SEMENKO'S USE OF PRIVATE WIRELESS
NETWORKS
15. On o r a b o u t June 5, 2010, l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t agents
p e r f o r m e d s u r v e i l l a n c e on MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t , a t a
r e s t a u r a n t i n W a s h i n g t o n , D.C. ( t h e " R e s t a u r a n t " ) .
According t o
an FBI s p e c i a l a g e n t who was p r e s e n t f o r t h e s u r v e i l l a n c e
( " S p e c i a l A g e n t - 1 " ) , a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 11:00 a.m., SEMENKO
e n t e r e d t h e R e s t a u r a n t c a r r y i n g a bag. A p p r o x i m a t e l y t e n
m i n u t e s l a t e r , a l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t agent o b s e r v e d a c a r w i t h a
d i p l o m a t i c l i c e n s e p l a t e f o r Russia, e n t e r t h e R e s t a u r a n t p a r k i n g
l o t , d r i v e a r o u n d t h e p a r k i n g l o t , and t h e n p a r k ( t h e " C a r " ) .
7
The i n d i v i d u a l seen d r i v i n g t h e Car has been i d e n t i f i e d as a
Russian government o f f i c i a l ("Russian Government O f f i c i a l # 2 ) .
The Car remained i n t h e p a r k i n g l o t f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y t w e n t y
m i n u t e s and t h e n d r o v e away. W i t h i n a few m i n u t e s , SEMENKO l e f t
the Restaurant.
3
16. A c c o r d i n g t o S p e c i a l A g e n t - 1 , on June 5, 2010,
d u r i n g t h e s u r v e i l l a n c e o f MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t , l a w enforcement' a g e n t s , p u r s u a n t t o j u d i c i a l o r d e r , u t i l i z e d t h e
same c o m m e r c i a l l y a v a i l a b l e t o o l t h a t can d e t e c t t h e presence o f
w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k s as d e s c r i b e d above, t h a t was used d u r i n g t h e
s u r v e i l l a n c e o p e r a t i o n s on ANNA CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t . The
d e v i c e was a b l e t o d e t e c t t h e presence o f two MAC addresses on
an ad hoc n e t w o r k d u r i n g t h e t i m e t h a t SEMENKO and R u s s i a n
Government O f f i c i a l #2 were i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f each o t h e r i n s i d e
t h e R e s t a u r a n t and i t s p a r k i n g l o t , r e s p e c t i v e l y .
Therefore,
based on my t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , and as f u r t h e r i n f o r m e d by SEMENKO's s t a t e m e n t s
t o an u n d e r c o v e r agent d e s c r i b e d below, I b e l i e v e t h a t SEMENKO
was t r y i n g t o u t i l i z e t h e p r i v a t e w i r e l e s s n e t w o r k system t o
communicate w i t h R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l #2.
I I I . ANNA CHAPMAN'S JUNE 26, 2010 MEETING WITH AN UNDERCOVER
AGENT POSING AS A RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
17. As s e t f o r t h i n g r e a t e r d e t a i l b e l o w , on June
26, 2010, an F B I u n d e r c o v e r agent ("UC-1"), p u r p o r t i n g t o be a
R u s s i a n c o n s u l a t e employee, a r r a n g e d a m e e t i n g w i t h ANNA
CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t , i n Manhattan, New York, a f t e r t e l l i n g
h e r t h a t i t was u r g e n t t o meet w i t h h e r i n o r d e r t o p r o v i d e
s o m e t h i n g t o h e r . D u r i n g t h i s m e e t i n g , among o t h e r t h i n g s : (a)
CHAPMAN and UC-1 d i s c u s s e d h e r "Wednesday" c o v e r t l a p t o p
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s e s s i o n s , see s u p r a I I . A ; (b) CHAPMAN p r o v i d e d UC1 w i t h h e r l a p t o p computer, w h i c h a p p a r e n t l y was h a v i n g
3
Law-enforcement o f f i c e r s have o b s e r v e d t h e p e r s o n who
appears t o be R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l #2 e n t e r i n g and l e a v i n g
t h e R u s s i a n M i s s i o n . I n a d d i t i o n , l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t o f f i c i a l s have
o b t a i n e d f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Department o f S t a t e t h e v i s a
a p p l i c a t i o n o f an i n d i v i d u a l i d e n t i f i e d as a "second s e c r e t a r y "
o f t h e R u s s i a n M i s s i o n . The p h o t o g r a p h o f t h e a p p l i c a n t i n t h a t
v i s a a p p l i c a t i o n i s a p h o t o g r a p h o f Russian Government O f f i c i a l
#2.
F u r t h e r m o r e , R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l #2 was
o b s e r v e d , i n 2004, e n g a g i n g i n a brush-pass w i t h a c o - c o n s p i r a t o r
named as a d e f e n d a n t i n t h e C o m p l a i n t a t a t r a i n s t a t i o n i n
F o r e s t H i l l s , New York.
See C o m p l a i n t
53-54.
8
t e c h n i c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s , so t h a t i t c o u l d e i t h e r be f i x e d , o r
s e n t back t o Moscow; and (c) UC-1 p r o v i d e d CHAPMAN w i t h a
p a s s p o r t b e a r i n g a f i c t i t i o u s name, which UC-1 i n s t r u c t e d
CHAPMAN t o p r o v i d e t o a n o t h e r i l l e g a l , who was based i n New York
and who, u n l i k e CHAPMAN, was o p e r a t i n g i n a f a l s e name.
18.
On June 26, 2010, a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 11:00 a.m.,
UC-1 p l a c e d a c o n s e n s u a l l y - r e c o r d e d t e l e p h o n e c a l l t o ANNA
CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t .
I n t h a t c a l l , which was c o n d u c t e d i n
R u s s i a n , UC-1 s t a t e d t h a t he needed t o meet w i t h CHAPMAN t h a t
day, i n o r d e r t o p r o v i d e h e r w i t h something.
4
19.
L a t e r t h a t day, a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 12:30 p.m., ANNA
CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t , p l a c e d a t e l e p h o n e c a l l t o UC-1, w h i c h
was i n t e r c e p t e d p u r s u a n t t o a j u d i c i a l o r d e r . I n t h a t c a l l ,
w h i c h a l s o was c o n d u c t e d i n R u s s i a n , CHAPMAN s t a t e d t h a t i t
w o u l d be d i f f i c u l t t o meet t h a t day, and asked w h e t h e r i t would
be p o s s i b l e t o meet t h e n e x t day i n s t e a d . UC-1 s t a t e d t h a t t h e
m e e t i n g was u r g e n t , b u t a g r e e d t o meet w i t h CHAPMAN t h e
f o l l o w i n g morning.
A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1:00 p.m., CHAPMAN a g a i n
p l a c e d a c a l l t o UC-1, w h i c h c a l l was a l s o i n t e r c e p t e d p u r s u a n t
t o a j u d i c i a l o r d e r . I n t h i s t h i r d c a l l , w h i c h was a l s o .
c o n d u c t e d i n R u s s i a n , CHAPMAN s t a t e d t h a t she w o u l d r e t u r n t o
New Y o r k f r o m C o n n e c t i c u t f o r a m e e t i n g w i t h UC-1 a n d w o u l d c a l l
UC-1 a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 4:00 p.m. UC-1 d i r e c t e d CHAPMAN t o meet
a t a p a r t i c u l a r c o f f e e shop i n downtown Manhattan, New York.
20.
A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 4:30 p.m., UC-1 met w i t h ANNA
CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t , a t t h e p r e v i o u s l y agreed upon l o c a t i o n
i n M a n h a t t a n . T h i s m e e t i n g was r e c o r d e d b y a h i d d e n r e c o r d i n g
d e v i c e worn b y UC-1. A t t h e o u t s e t o f t h i s m e e t i n g , UC-1
i d e n t i f i e d h i m s e l f as t h e p e r s o n who had spoken w i t h CHAPMAN on
t h e phone e a r l i e r i n t h e day. A t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e m e e t i n g ,
UC-1 a n d CHAPMAN spoke t o each o t h e r i n Russian, b u t t h e n UC-1
s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e y speak i n E n g l i s h so as t o draw l e s s
a t t e n t i o n t o themselves.
Based on my r e v i e w o f t h e r e c o r d i n g o f
t h e m e e t i n g , I have l e a r n e d t h e f o l l o w i n g :
a.
4
UC-1 asked, " T e l l me how i s e v e r y t h i n g ? How a r e
you d o i n g ? "
CHAPMAN r e p l i e d , " E v e r y t h i n g i s c o o l
a p a r t f r o m c o n n e c t i o n . " Based on my t r a i n i n g ,
e x p e r i e n c e , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I believe that t h i s i s a reference
C e r t a i n o f t h e recorded conversations r e f e r r e d t o i n
t h i s C o m p l a i n t were c o n d u c t e d i n Russian.
The q u o t a t i o n s and
d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e s e c o n v e r s a t i o n s a r e based on p r e l i m i n a r y
t r a n s l a t i o n s o f t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n s , and a r e s u b j e c t t o r e v i s i o n .
9
to the technical d i f f i c u l t i e s with the laptop-tol a p t o p c o v e r t communications between CHAPMAN and
R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l # 1 .
b.
CHAPMAN s t a t e d , " I j u s t need t o g e t some more
i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t you b e f o r e I can t a l k . " UC-1
r e p l i e d , " I work i n t h e same d e p a r t m e n t as you,
b u t I work h e r e i n t h e c o n s u l a t e .
Okay. My name
i s Roman. My name i s Roman, I work i n t h e
consulate."
c.
UC-1 s t a t e d , "There i s a s i t u a t i o n t h a t I need
y o u r h e l p w i t h tomorrow, w h i c h i s why i t ' s n o t
l i k e r e g u l a r e m a i l c o n t a c t o r w e b s i t e c o n t a c t and
t h i s c o u l d n o t w a i t u n t i l your Wednesdays, you
know." UC-1 t h e n asked, "When was t h e l a s t
Wednesday t h a t y o u . . . . So t h i s Wednesday, now
you w i l l do i t ? "
CHAPMAN r e p l i e d "no," b u t
s t a t e d t h a t i t w o u l d be " n e x t Wednesday."
d.
UC-1 s t a t e d , " I know you a r e h a v i n g some problems
w i t h t h e connections.
I am n o t t h e t e c h n i c a l guy
. . . . I d o n ' t know how t o f i x i t , b u t i f you
t e l l me, I can pass i t up. B u t , b a s i c a l l y I know
you a r e g o i n g back t o Moscow i n two weeks. . . .
So, ah when you go back t h e y w i l l s i t down w i t h
you and t a l k o f f i c i a l l y about y o u r work, y o u r
p e r f o r m a n c e , a h - b u t , f o r now I j u s t wanted t o see
how you a r e d o i n g , how e v e r y t h i n g i s g o i n g and
t h e n I have a t a s k f o r you t o do t o m o r r o w . "
e.
UC-1 t h e n e x p l a i n e d , " [ T ] h i s i s n o t l i k e , t h i s i s
n o t l i k e t h e Wednesdays w i t h t h e n o t e b o o k s , t h i s
i s d i f f e r e n t i t i s , i t i s t h e n e x t s t e p . You a r e
r e a d y f o r t h e n e x t s t e p . Okay?" CHAPMAN
r e p l i e d , "Ok."
f.
UC-1' s t a t e d , " T h i s h a d t o g e t done, okay, because
I w i l l e x p l a i n . There i s a p e r s o n h e r e who i s
j u s t l i k e you okay. B u t , u n l i k e y o u , t h i s p e r s o n
i s n o t h e r e under h e r r e a l name. . . So she was
i n t h e c o u n t r y and t o do t h a t we have t o g i v e h e r
new documents. Understand? So, I have t h e
documents f o r y o u t o g i v e t o h e r t o m o r r o w
m o r n i n g . Once y o u do t h a t , once y o u g i v e h e r t h e
document t h a t ' s i t . "
CHAPMAN r e p l i e d , "Okay."
UC-1 s t a t e d , "So, I have i t .
I c a n show y o u , b u t
t h i s i s what I mean by n e x t s t e p because t h i s i s
not l a p t o p t o l a p t o p , t h i s i s person t o person.
10
She i s j u s t l i k e y o u OK." CHAPMAN t h e n asked,
" I s she i n New Y o r k ? "
UC-1 t h e n asked, "Are you
r e a d y f o r t h i s s t e p ? " CHAPMAN r e p l i e d , " S h i t , o f
course."
g.
UC-1 asked, "So, t e l l me t h e notebooks? A r e you
s t i l l h a v i n g a p r o b l e m w i t h t h e notebook?
With
the connection?"
CHAPMAN r e p l i e d , "Yes. I
t h o u g h t you were f l y i n g back so i t i s a l r i g h t . "
UC-1 s t a t e d , "Do you want me . . . w e l l [ s i c ] can
g i v e i t t o c o n s u l a t e i f you want them t o l o o k a t
i t o r y o u can w a i t and t a k e i t home y o u r s e l f t o
Moscow." CHAPMAN s t a t e d , " I t w o u l d be more
c o n v e n i e n t i f I gave you i t . " L a t e r , i n t h e
c o u r s e o f t h e m e e t i n g , CHAPMAN p r o v i d e d t h e
l a p t o p computer t o UC-1 ( h e r e a f t e r t h e " L a p t o p " ) .
Based on my t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and
participation i n this investigation, I believe
t h a t t h e Laptop i s t h e computer, w h i c h was b e s e t
by t e c h n i c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s and w h i c h was used f o r
l a p t o p - t o - l a p t o p c o v e r t c o m m u n i c a t i o n s between
CHAPMAN and R u s s i a n Government O f f i c i a l # 1 .
h.
UC-1 d e s c r i b e d t o CHAPMAN where she w o u l d need t o
go t h e n e x t day a t 11:00 a.m. t o meet w i t h t h e
p e r s o n d e s c r i b e d above i n s u b p a r a g r a p h
( f ) . UC-1
e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e purpose o f t h e meeting would
be f o r CHAPMAN t o convey a p a s s p o r t b e a r i n g a
f i c t i t i o u s name ( t h e " F r a u d u l e n t P a s s p o r t " ) . UC1 p r o v i d e d t h e F r a u d u l e n t P a s s p o r t t o CHAPMAN
d u r i n g t h e meeting.
As he d i d s o , UC-1 s t a t e d :
" [ s ] o t h i s i s t h e passport. This i s t h e person,
t h i s i s n o t h e r r e a l name b u t y o u c a n c a l l h e r
t h i s name i f you w i s h .
Okay, t h i s i s what she
looks l i k e .
So, she w i l l come t o you, g i v e h e r
t h e p a s s p o r t and you a r e done."
i.
UC-1 t h e n s t a t e d , "When you a r e done, I need y o u
t o come back here t o t h i s l o c a t i o n . . . so t h a t
I know t h a t e v e r y t h i n g i s okay. . . . You c a n ' t
see f r o m h e r e , b u t when I w a l k o u t t h e r e i s a
c i t y map . . . . Go t o t h e map a f t e r y o u a r e
done. Come up t o t h e map and, I w i l l g i v e y o u
t h e t h i n g , a l l you do i s [ p l a c e a p o s t a l ] stamp,
a l l y o u do i s p u t i t on t h e s i d e o f t h e map l i k e
you a r e l o o k i n g a t t h e map . . . . J u s t come t o
t h e map and p u t i t on t h e s i d e and t h e n I w i l l
check i t and I w i l l know t h a t e v e r y t h i n g i s
okay."
11
j.
UC-1 t h e n d e s c r i b e d how she (CHAPMAN) would
r e c o g n i z e t h e p e r s o n ("1-1") t o whom she
(CHAPMAN) was t o g i v e t h e F r a u d u l e n t P a s s p o r t .
1-1, UC-1 e x p l a i n e d , " w i l l come t o you so, so t h e
way t h a t she w i l l know y o u i s , you j u s t h o l d t h i s
i n y o u r hand l i k e t h i s .
J u s t h o l d i t i n your hand and she w i l l come t o y o u . "
A t the time t h a t
UC-1 s a i d t h i s t o CHAPMAN, he (UC-1) p r o v i d e d her
(CHAPMAN) w i t h a magazine t o h o l d , so t h a t I-1
w o u l d r e c o g n i z e h e r (CHAPMAN) a t t h e m e e t i n g
where t h e F r a u d u l e n t P a s s p o r t was t o be handed
over.
k.
UC-1 t h e n s t a t e d t h a t I-1 " w i l l t e l l you . . .
excuse me, b u t haven't we met i n C a l i f o r n i a l a s t
summer?' And you w i l l say t o h e r , No, I t h i n k
i t was t h e Hamptons." CHAPMAN asked, "The
Hamptons?" UC-1 s t a t e d , "The Hamptons and t h a t
i s i t . That i s how y o u know a n d y o u j u s t
exchange, j u s t g i v e h e r t h e document [ t h a t i s ,
the Fraudulent Passport] and t h e n a f t e r t h i s I
need y o u t o come back, p u t t h e stamp and t h e n
a f t e r t h i s i t i s a l l normal s c h e d u l e , okay, you
can go back t o Wednesday." UC-1 t h e n asked
CHAPMAN t o r e p e a t a l l o f h i s i n s t r u c t i o n s t o h e r ,
w h i c h CHAPMAN s u b s t a n t i a l l y d i d . S p e c i f i c a l l y ,
CHAPMAN c o n f i r m e d , "Okay, t o m o r r o w a t 1 1 , I am
g o i n g t o be s i t t i n g a t one o f t h e benches, she i s
g o i n g t o ask me i f she saw me i n C a l i f o r n i a . I
am g o i n g t o say no, i t was i n t h e Hamptons. I
w i l l t a k e t h e documents, t e l l h e r t o s i g n . I
w i l l h o l d t h e j o u r n a l , t h i s i s how she w i l l
r e c o g n i z e me and I g o t back and p u t t h e [ p o s t a l ]
stamp."
1.
CHAPMAN-asked, "You're p o s i t i v e no one i s
watching?"
UC-1 r e p l i e d , "You know how l o n g i t
t o o k me t o g e t here? Three h o u r s .
So here I am
c o m f o r t a b l e . But when y o u go, y o u know, be
careful."
Based on my t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and
participation i n this investigation, I believe
t h a t CHAPMAN u n d e r s t o o d " t h r e e h o u r s " as a
r e f e r e n c e t o t h e t i m e t h a t UC-1 h a d spent
conducting circuitous "surveillance detection
r o u t e s , " t o i n s u r e t h a t he was n o t b e i n g
followed.
m.
Toward t h e end o f t h e m e e t i n g , UC-1 s t a t e d ,
" [ Y ] o u r c o l l e a g u e s back i n Moscow, t h e y know you
12
a r e d o i n g a good j o b and t h e y w i l l t e l l
when t h e y see you. So keep i t up."
you t h i s
21.
A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6:00 p.m., about an h o u r a f t e r
t h e m e e t i n g d e s c r i b e d above i n Paragraph 2 1 c o n c l u d e d , l a w
e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s c o n d u c t i n g s u r v e i l l a n c e o f ANNA CHAPMAN, t h e
d e f e n d a n t , o b s e r v e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : CHAPMAN e n t e r e d a CVS
Pharmacy s t o r e l o c a t e d i n B r o o k l y n , New York. T h e r e a f t e r ,
CHAPMAN e n t e r e d a V e r i z o n s t o r e i n B r o o k l y n , New Y o r k . CHAPMAN
t h e n l e f t t h e V e r i z o n s t o r e , e n t e r e d a R i t e A i d Pharmacy, and
t h e n r e t u r n e d t o t h e V e r i z o n s t o r e . A f t e r CHAPMAN l e f t t h e
V e r i z o n s t o r e f o r t h e second t i m e , l a w e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n t s
o b s e r v e d t h a t she t h r e w a V e r i z o n bag ( t h e " V e r i z o n Bag") i n t o
the garbage. A f t e r CHAPMAN l e f t t h e v i c i n i t y , l a w e n f o r c e m e n t
a g e n t s r e t r i e v e d t h e V e r i z o n Bag t h a t CHAPMAN h a d j u s t
discarded.
I n s i d e t h e bag, t h e a g e n t s f o u n d t h e f o l l o w i n g
i t e m s , among o t h e r s :
a.
The V e r i z o n Bag c o n t a i n e d a c u s t o m e r agreement
f o r t h e p u r c h a s e o f a M o t o r o l a c e l l p h o n e . The
c u s t o m e r agreement was i n t h e name o f " I r i n e
K u t s o v , " a n d i n d i c a t e d a customer a d d r e s s o f "99
Fake S t r e e t . "
b.
The V e r i z o n Bag a l s o c o n t a i n e d t h e p a c k a g i n g f o r
a " T r a c f o n e " c a l l i n g c a r d , and f o r a V e r i z o n
c a l l i n g c a r d . Based on my t r a i n i n g a n d
e x p e r i e n c e , and my i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h i s
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I know t h a t b o t h o f t h e s e c a l l i n g
c a r d s may be used t o make i n t e r n a t i o n a l c a l l s .
c.
The V e r i z o n Bag a l s o c o n t a i n e d an unopened
charging device f o r the Motorola cellphone
i n d i c a t e d on t h e customer agreement.
22.
Based on t h e f o r e g o i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s b y t h e
s u r v e i l l a n c e a g e n t s , as w e l l as my t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and
p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I b e l i e v e t h a t ANNA
CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t , f o l l o w i n g h e r m e e t i n g w i t h UC-1, e n t e r e d
a s e r i e s o f s t o r e s t o a v o i d b e i n g f o l l o w e d o r s u r v e i l l e d . On
t h e s e same bases, I b e l i e v e t h a t h e r use o f a f a l s e name and
a d d r e s s i n t h e c u s t o m e r agreement f o r m , as w e l l as h e r t h r o w i n g
o f t h e c e l l p h o n e c h a r g e r , s u g g e s t t h a t CHAPMAN was s e e k i n g t o
use t h e M o t o r o l a c e l l p h o n e o n l y t e m p o r a r i l y so as t o a v o i d
detection o f her conversations.
23.
On June 27, 2010, ANNA CHAPMAN, t h e d e f e n d a n t ,
d i d n o t appear a t t h e d e s i g n a t e d t i m e a t t h e l o c a t i o n a g r e e d
upon i n t h e m e e t i n g w i t h UC-1.
13
VI.
MIKHAIL SEMENKO'S JUNE 26, 2010 MEETING WITH AM UNDERCOVER
AGENT POSING AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
24.
On o r about June 26, 2010, an FBI u n d e r c o v e r
agent ("UC-2"), who was p o s i n g as an agent o f t h e R u s s i a n
Government, p l a c e d a c a l l t o MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t , a t
a c e l l u l a r t e l e p h o n e number used b y SEMENKO. That c a l l was
recorded pursuant t o j u d i c i a l a u t h o r i z a t i o n .
At the beginning
o f t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n , UC-2 asked SEMENKO, " c o u l d we have met i n
B e i j i n g i n 2004?" SEMENKO responded, "Yes, we m i g h t have, b u t I
b e l i e v e i t was i n H a r b i n . " UC-2 and SEMENKO t h e n a r r a n g e d t o
meet a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 7:30 p.m. n e a r t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f 1 0
S t r e e t N.W., and H S t r e e t N.W. i n W a s h i n g t o n , D.C. (The
"Washington S t r e e t Corner") . D u r i n g t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n , w h i c h was
r e c o r d e d b y a h i d d e n d e v i c e , UC-2 asked SEMENKO w h e t h e r SEMENKO
remembered " t h e s i g n , " and SEMENKO r e s p o n d e d t h a t he d i d . Based
on my t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I b e l i e v e t h a t SEMENKO was a f f i r m i n g t h a t he
remembered what o b j e c t he was supposed t o c a r r y d u r i n g any i n p e r s o n m e e t i n g w i t h an SVR o p e r a t i v e i n o r d e r t o a l l o w t h e
o p e r a t i v e t o i d e n t i f y SEMENKO.
t h
25.
A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 7:28 p.m. on June 26, 2010, UC-2
saw MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t , a t t h e Washington S t r e e t
Corner.
SEMENKO s t o o d a t t h e W a s h i n g t o n S t r e e t Corner f o r
a p p r o x i m a t e l y t w o m i n u t e s b e f o r e UC-2 w a l k e d up t o h i m . The
m e e t i n g between UC-2 and SEMENKO was r e c o r d e d b y a h i d d e n
r e c o r d i n g d e v i c e worn by UC-2. A f t e r UC-2 approached SEMENKO,
UC-2 r e p e a t e d t h e p h r a s e t h a t he h a d used d u r i n g t h e t e l e p h o n e
c o n v e r s a t i o n e a r l i e r t h a t day, a s k i n g SEMENKO w h e t h e r t h e t w o
men c o u l d have met i n B e i j i n g d u r i n g 2004. SEMENKO a g a i n
r e s p o n d e d t h a t i t was p o s s i b l e , b u t t h a t t h e m e e t i n g h a d been i n
Harbin.
UC-2 a n d SEMENKO t h e n exchanged g r e e t i n g s i n R u s s i a n
and w a l k e d t o g e t h e r t o a nearby p a r k ( t h e "Washington P a r k " ) .
I n t h e W a s h i n g t o n Park, UC-2 'and SEMENKO s a t t o g e t h e r on a p a r k
bench where t h e y t a l k e d t o one a n o t h e r f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y 30
minutes.
Among o t h e r t h i n g s , UC-2 a n d SEMENKO h a d t h e f o l l o w i n g
discussions:
a.
UC-2 t o l d SEMENKO t h a t he wanted t o d i s c u s s
SEMENKO's a t t e m p t e d c o m m u n i c a t i o n a t t h e
R e s t a u r a n t on June 5, 2010. UC-2 t o l d
SEMENKO t h a t UC-2 b e l i e v e d t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n
a t t e m p t h a d n o t been s u c c e s s f u l , t o w h i c h
SEMENKO r e s p o n d e d " I g o t mine." SEMENKO
f u r t h e r e x p l a i n e d t h a t equipment he had been
u s i n g f o r t h e communication had
a u t o m a t i c a l l y t u r n e d i t s e l f o f f a t t h e end
14
o f t h e communications s e s s i o n , w h i c h SEMENKO
s t a t e d was a s i g n t h a t t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n was
successful.
SEMENKO f u r t h e r e x p l a i n e d t h a t ,
when he t u r n e d t h e equipment on a g a i n a f t e r
i t h a d s h u t down, he "saw t h e s t u f f [ h e ]
r e c e i v e d , " and a l s o s a i d t h a t when t h e
c o m m u n i c a t i o n went t h r o u g h he was " l i k e . .
. t o t a l l y happy."
b.
UC-2 asked SEMENKO w h e t h e r he had seen " o u r
o f f i c e r " d u r i n g t h e June 5, 2010 a t t e m p t e d
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s . SEMENKO r e s p o n d e d , "no, I
am n o t supposed t o l o o k , t h o u g h - I'm n o t
supposed t o be l o o k i n g o u t . "
c.
UC-2 asked SEMENKO t o d e s c r i b e t h e s t e p s
SEMENKO t o o k d u r i n g t h e June 5, 2010
a t t e m p t e d c o m m u n i c a t i o n . SEMENKO e x p l a i n e d
t h a t he had p o s i t i o n e d h i s c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
equipment so t h a t i t was "open" and so t h a t
i t was f a c i n g " t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n . "
SEMENKO f u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t , p r i o r t o t h e
c o m m u n i c a t i o n , he r e s t o r e d h i s equipment t o
" d e f a u l t s e t t i n g s , " w h i c h SEMENKO e x p l a i n e d
was n e c e s s a r y i f SEMENKO h a d "used [ t h e
equipment f o r [ h i s o f f i c e ] . "
I n describing
how he p r e p a r e d d a t a f o r t r a n s m i s s i o n v i a
t h e ad hoc n e t w o r k , SEMENKO s t a t e d , " I j u s t
c r e a t e t h e f i l e , Z i p i t . . . ."
d.
UC-2 asked SEMENKO who h a d t r a i n e d SEMENKO
t o use h i s c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equipment as
d e s c r i b e d above, and SEMENKO responded, " t h e
C e n t e r guys, t h e C e n t e r g u y s . " L a t e r i n t h e
c o n v e r s a t i o n , UC-2 asked SEMENKO how much
t i m e SEMENKO had s p e n t i n t h e " C e n t e r , " and
SEMENKO responded, "ahh . . . a week." When
UC-2 i n d i c a t e d t h a t he was s u r p r i s e d t h a t
SEMENKO c o u l d have been t r a i n e d on h i s
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equipment i n o n l y one week,
SEMENKO responded t h a t he h a d p r e v i o u s l y
r e c e i v e d an a d d i t i o n a l t w o weeks o f
training.
e.
SEMENKO and UC-2 a l s o d i s c u s s e d t h e s a f e t y
o f SEMENKO's c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equipment.
S p e c i f i c a l l y , UC-2 t o l d SEMENKO t h a t , "as
f a r as t h e computer goes, [he s h o u l d ] be
c a r e f u l w i t h i t , [because] i t i s v e r y
15
sensitive."
SEMENKO responded t h a t he knew
t h e equipment was s e n s i t i v e , and t h a t he was
being c a r e f u l with i t .
I n response t o a
q u e s t i o n f r o m UC-2 about how he was k e e p i n g
h i s c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equipment s a f e , SEMENKO
r e s p o n d e d t h a t he d i d n o t have a n y t h i n g t h a t
l o o k e d s u s p i c i o u s , and t h a t he (SEMENKO) was
the o n l y person using the communications
e q u i p m e n t . SEMENKO f u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t t h e
one o t h e r t h i n g he had was "a book,
b a s i c a l l y l i k e o t h e r books." Based on my
t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n
t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I b e l i e v e t h a t SEMENKO
was s a y i n g t h a t t h e r e was n o t h i n g s u s p i c i o u s
about t h e o u t w a r d appearance o f h i s
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equipment, and t h a t t h e o n l y
o t h e r i t e m he possessed f o r t h a t
c o m m u n i c a t i o n was a book, w h i c h was l a r g e l y
i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from o t h e r books.
f.
UC-2 asked SEMENKO what he w o u l d do w i t h h i s
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equipment i f " s o m e t h i n g goes
down." SEMENKO responded t h a t he w o u l d
erase t h e hard d r i v e o f the communications
e q u i p m e n t . Based on my t r a i n i n g ,
e x p e r i e n c e , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , I b e l i e v e t h a t SEMENKO was
s a y i n g t h a t , i f he were s u b j e c t e d t o
s c r u t i n y b y law-enforcement o r i n t e l l i g e n c e
p e r s o n n e l , he w o u l d e r a s e t h e h a r d d r i v e o f
t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s equipment.
g.
UC-2 asked SEMENKO about t h e p r e - a r r a n g e d
m e e t i n g p l a c e s t h a t SEMENKO h a d w i t h i n t h e
U n i t e d S t a t e s f o r use when SEMENKO r e c e i v e d
a particular signal.
SEMENKO r e s p o n d e d t h a t
h i s o n l y m e e t i n g p l a c e f o r such o c c a s i o n s
was t h e R u s s i a n C o n s u l a t e i n New Y o r k C i t y .
SEMENKO f u r t h e r e x p l a i n e d t h a t , a l t h o u g h t h e
W a s h i n g t o n S t r e e t Corner h a d been p r o p o s e d
as a p o t e n t i a l m e e t i n g s i t e , i t h a d n e v e r
been a p p r o v e d - p r e s u m a b l y b y C e n t e r .
26. A f t e r t h e d i s c u s s i o n s d e s c r i b e d above, UC-2
handed SEMENKO a f o l d e d newspaper i n s i d e w h i c h an e n v e l o p e
c o n t a i n i n g $5,000 i n cash was c o n c e a l e d . UC-2 t o l d SEMENKO,
"There i s an e n v e l o p e i n t h e r e ; t h e r e i s money i n i t .
The money
has t o go t o a p a r k i n A r l i n g t o n tomorrow.
I t has t o be t h e r e
between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m." SEMENKO t h e n asked UC-2 f o r
16
a d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e l o c a t i o n where t h e money was t o be
d e l i v e r e d , and UC-2 gave SEMENKO a map w h i c h showed t h e
l o c a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g i n f o r m a t i o n about a p a r t i c u l a r s p o t
u n d e r n e a t h a b r i d g e where SEMENKO was t o d e l i v e r and h i d e t h e
money ( t h e "Drop S i t e " ) .
A f t e r SEMENKO i n d i c a t e d t h a t he had
memorized t h e i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e map, he gave i t back t o UC-2
t o be d e s t r o y e d .
27.
A t t h e end o f t h e June 26, 2010 m e e t i n g between
UC-2 and SEMENKO, UC-2 asked SEMENKO w h e t h e r he h a d any l a s t
concerns.
SEMENKO responded t h a t he wanted UC-2 t o " f i g u r e o u t "
t h e p r o b l e m w i t h t h e communications v i a t h e p r i v a t e w i r e l e s s
network.
The m e e t i n g c o n c l u d e d w i t h SEMENKO a s k i n g UC-2 w h e t h e r
he was now g o i n g t o r e p o r t t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s p r o b l e m t o "them."
28.
On o r about June 26, 2010, t h e FBI i n s t a l l e d
v i d e o s u r v e i l l a n c e cameras i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f t h e Drop S i t e .
The f o o t a g e r e c o r d e d b y t h o s e cameras r e f l e c t s t h e f o l l o w i n g :
a.
A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 11:00 a.m., MIKHAIL
SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t , approached t h e area
o f t h e Drop S i t e b y c r o s s i n g o v e r t h e b r i d g e
u n d e r n e a t h w h i c h t h e Drop S i t e i s l o c a t e d .
SEMENKO's f a c e i s c l e a r l y v i s i b l e i n t h e
f o o t a g e f r o m one o f t h e cameras, and SEMENKO
can a l s o be seen c a r r y i n g a w h i t e bag.
b.
Video footage recorded a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y
11:06 a.m. shows SEMENKO r e m o v i n g f r o m t h e
w h i t e bag t h e newspaper c o n c e a l i n g an
e n v e l o p e c o n t a i n i n g $5,000 t h a t UC-2 h a d
g i v e n t o SEMENKO t h e p r e v i o u s day.
That
f o o t a g e a l s o shows SEMENKO p l a c i n g t h e
newspaper i n t h e Drop S i t e .
c.
A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 11:07 a.m., SEMENKO i s seen
f o r t h e l a s t t i m e on t h e v i d e o f o o t a g e f r o m
t h e v i c i n i t y o f t h e Drop S i t e .
The f o o t a g e
does n o t r e f l e c t SEMENKO l e a v i n g t h e area b y
c r o s s i n g back over t h e b r i d g e on w h i c h he
had o r i g i n a l l y a r r i v e d .
29.
A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 11:50 a.m., FBI a g e n t s s e a r c h i n g
t h e Drop S i t e r e c o v e r e d t h e newspaper t h a t MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e
d e f e n d a n t , h a d p l a c e d t h e r e , and w h i c h UC-2 had g i v e n t o SEMENKO
t h e p r e v i o u s day.
When t h e a g e n t s opened t h e newspaper, t h e y
f o u n d i t t o c o n t a i n t h e e n v e l o p e c o n t a i n i n g $5,000 t h a t had been
i n s i d e t h e newspaper when UC-2 h a d g i v e n i t t o SEMENKO t h e
p r e v i o u s day.
17
WHEREFORE, deponent p r a y s - t h a t a w a r r a n t be i s s u e d f o r
t h e a r r e s t s o f ANNA CHAPMAN and MIKHAIL SEMENKO, t h e d e f e n d a n t s ,
and t h a t t h e y be a r r e s t e d and i m p r i s o n e d , o r b a i l e d , as t h e case
may be.
AMIT KACHHIA-PATEL
S p e c i a l Agent
F e d e r a l Bureau o f I n v e s t i g a t i o n
Sworn t o b e f o r e me t h i s
27thdayo f June, 2010
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
18