Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and global security chief for BorgWarner, was wrongfully detained in Russia on espionage charges in 2018. Born in Canada and later becoming a U.S. citizen, Whelan had previously been embroiled in controversies, including a bad-conduct discharge from the Marines in 2008 due to theft-related convictions. Despite this, Whelan maintained his innocence, claiming he was set up during a trip to Russia to attend a friend’s wedding.
Whelan’s case gained attention after he was convicted in a closed-door trial in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years of hard labor. Efforts to secure his release were ongoing, with both the U.S. House and Senate passing resolutions demanding his freedom. The State Department also labeled his detention as wrongful, calling his conviction a sham. Whelan spent his time in a Russian prison camp, doing menial tasks like cutting threads from uniforms.
Whelan’s ties to Russia stemmed from his work with BorgWarner, although the company denied sponsoring his trip to Russia. BorgWarner had business dealings in Russia supplying parts for trucks and buses. Former President Donald Trump, who did not address Whelan’s case during his presidency, criticized the prisoner swap that led to Whelan’s release, claiming he had previously turned down a deal with Russia to exchange Viktor Bout for Whelan. Ultimately, after being detained for several years, Whelan was released in a prisoner swap that included journalist Evan Gershkovich in 2022.
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