PrintJune 30, 2010
The Russian Mata Hari
Anna Chapman was among the 11 Russian spies arrested yesterday by U.S. officials. The young undercover agent lived a life typical of any hot, educated 28-year-old making it in the Big Apple. Her body looks more like that of a Maxim model than a Russian super-spy and her cover is as American as apple pie. Anna was no stranger to the exclusive New York cocktail circuit and was known to frequent lavish parties in the Hamptons.
The well-trained Kremlin heartthrob had been sending sensitive information, via secret ‘Bond-like' exchanges, back to her homeland of Russia since January. The New York Post has more on the exchanges:
In one particularly slick spy exchange on St. Patrick's Day, Chapman pulled a laptop out of a tote bag in a bookstore at Warren and Greenwich streets in the West Village while her handler lurked outside, receiving her message on his own computer, the feds said. A similar exchange occurred at a Midtown coffee shop at 47th Street and 8th Ave.
The FBI claimed the two were corresponding via a secret online network.
Last week, an undercover agent pretending to be a Russian official arranged a meeting to talk about the weekly laptop exchanges, pretending to be ready to send the sexy spy on a mission to deliver a fake passport to another female agent, according to the federal complaint.
"Are you ready for this step?" he asked. "S¤-¤-¤-, yes," Chapman allegedly gushed.
The undercover instructed her on how she would recognize her fellow spy and how to report back on the handoff, the feds said.
"Haven't we met in California last summer?" the spy expecting the fake passport was supposed to say. Chapman was to respond, "No, I think it was the Hamptons," according to the FBI.
Chapman allegedly was also supposed to hold a magazine under her arm so her counterpart would recognize her, and plant a stamp on a wall map indicate the handoff was a success.
It never took place.
The FBI claimed the two were corresponding via a secret online network.
Last week, an undercover agent pretending to be a Russian official arranged a meeting to talk about the weekly laptop exchanges, pretending to be ready to send the sexy spy on a mission to deliver a fake passport to another female agent, according to the federal complaint.
"Are you ready for this step?" he asked. "S¤-¤-¤-, yes," Chapman allegedly gushed.
The undercover instructed her on how she would recognize her fellow spy and how to report back on the handoff, the feds said.
"Haven't we met in California last summer?" the spy expecting the fake passport was supposed to say. Chapman was to respond, "No, I think it was the Hamptons," according to the FBI.
Chapman allegedly was also supposed to hold a magazine under her arm so her counterpart would recognize her, and plant a stamp on a wall map indicate the handoff was a success.
It never took place.
There's no word yet on whether Anna Chapman has a book deal in the works, shouldn't be long...
Josh Jamison lives in Boston, Massachusetts and writes for The Raw Deal
