Gene Spector Sentenced for Espionage in Russia

Gene Spector, a Russian-born U.S. citizen, has been sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) for espionage. The FSB claims he gathered genetic data from Russian citizens under the guise of scientific research, allegedly for the Pentagon to assist in developing a genetic screening system targeting the Russian population. Spector was previously convicted in 2022 on bribery charges and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. His recent trial was conducted behind closed doors, with specific details of the espionage allegations remaining undisclosed. Spector, who has lived in Russia and is married to a Russian woman, has been accused of transferring state secrets and biotechnological information to the U.S. The court's decision marks a significant escalation in Russia's crackdown on perceived foreign espionage, particularly regarding biological data.