A Russian-born Swedish businessman has been acquitted of accumulating data for Russia’s navy intelligence service, the GRU, for nearly a decade
ByThe Related Press
October 26, 2023, 6:08 AM
FILE – A police tape cordons off an space exterior a home the place Swedish Safety Service allegedly arrested two individuals on suspicion of espionage in a predawn operation in Stockholm, Nov. 22, 2022. Russian-born Swedish businessman Sergey Skvortsov was acquitted on Thursday Oct. 26, 2023, of accumulating data for Russia’s navy intelligence service, the GRU, for nearly a decade. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT Information Company through AP, File)
The Related Press
STOCKHOLM — A Russian-born Swedish businessman was acquitted on Thursday of accumulating data for Russia’s navy intelligence service, the GRU, for nearly a decade.
Sergey Skvortsov, 60, had been accused of “ gross unlawful intelligence actions in opposition to Sweden and in opposition to a overseas energy,” particularly america.
The Stockholm District Court docket stated Skvortsov had largely acted in the way in which prosecutors alleged and that superior expertise was acquired and delivered to Russia.
However the court docket stated in its verdict “that the enterprise (was) solely meant for the procurement of expertise from the West and never geared toward acquiring data regarding Sweden or america which will represent espionage.”
Decide Jakob Hedenmo stated in a press release that the prosecutor was unable to show that Skvortsov was concerned in espionage.
Skvortsov’s lawyer, Ulrika Borg, stated her consumer was “relieved.”
“He has been detained for a really very long time. It’s worrying for anybody,” she stated.
Skvortsov was arrested in November collectively together with his spouse in a predawn operation in Nacka, exterior Stockholm. Swedish media reported that elite police rappelled from two Black Hawk helicopters to arrest the couple.
On Oct. 9, the Stockholm District Court docket stated that Skvortsov was launched forward of a verdict in his trial, which ended Sept. 28, saying “there isn’t any longer cause to maintain the defendant in custody.”
Skvortsov had denied any wrongdoing, His spouse was launched with out cost following an investigation by Sweden’s safety company.
Based on the prosecutor, Skvortsov had obtained data through two firms about objects that Russia can’t in any other case purchase because of export laws and sanctions.
He then helped to purchase and transport the products, deceptive suppliers by offering false or deceptive data and performing beneath false identities.