Paul Whelan—an American citizen whom Russia has accused of being a spy—was found guilty of trying to steal over $10,000 from the U.S. government when he was deployed in Iraq in 2006, The Washington Post reports. Whelan, who worked for the Marines administrative chief, was also reportedly found guilty by the Marine Corps of bouncing nearly $6,000 worth of checks around. The special court-martial reportedly resulted in his discharge two years after the incidents. Whelan is reportedly being held in Russia’s Lefortovo Prison after he was detained by Russian security services upon arriving in Moscow for a friend’s wedding. His brother, David Whelan, penned an op-ed for the Post, insisting that his sibling is not a spy. “We urge President Trump to intercede on Paul’s behalf,” he wrote. “U.S. government action will reinforce that Americans traveling abroad should not do so in fear, and ensure other American families are less likely to have their loved ones go missing.”
