U.S. Justice Department indicts five Russian intelligence operatives for alleged murder-for-hire plot on U.S. soil
Federal prosecutors in New York charged five individuals linked to Russia's intelligence services with terrorism-finance and murder-for-hire conspiracies, including a scheme to recruit a Brooklyn resident to surveil and potentially kill a Russian dissident in the United States.
Federal prosecutors in New York unsealed an indictment Tuesday charging five members of a network they described as the "RIS Network" with terrorism-finance and murder-for-hire conspiracies. The alleged participants include former Russian intelligence colonel Yuri Khrameev, his son Kirill, two Cuban nationals and a Venezuelan operative, all believed to remain in Russia.
According to the indictment, the group attempted a murder-for-hire plot in July-August 2024 targeting an unnamed Russian dissident thought to reside in the Washington, D.C., area. Cuban and Venezuelan operatives allegedly recruited a Brooklyn resident, offering $1,000-$1,500 for surveillance and an additional $40,000 to "eliminate" the target. The Brooklyn individual reportedly refused to carry out a killing and was asked to find another willing participant.
The indictment also alleges that Khrameev and his son tried to enlist a U.S. citizen in Lithuania to assassinate a person accused of spreading false information about Russia. The citizen was paid $200 for surveillance and was offered $25,000 to commit the murder, which he declined. Khrameev is further accused of proposing arson of a warehouse or electrical substation as an alternative.
The defendants are also charged with facilitating two failed arson attempts in Europe earlier in 2024, one targeting buses in the Czech Republic and another aimed at a Lithuanian facility supplying radio equipment to Ukraine. The Cuban defendant is said to have arranged travel and accommodation for participants in those attacks.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg described the alleged schemes as a violation of U.S. sovereignty and a threat to national security, pledging to counter foreign intelligence operations on American soil. The U.S. citizen and Brooklyn resident involved in the surveillance were not named in the indictment.
The Russian Embassy was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of reporting.