A federal judge has denied bail to three suspected members of a Russian spy ring, saying there's a serious risk they would flee the country, USA TODAY's Kevin Johnson reports from Alexandria, Va.
Two defendants identified as Michael Zottoli and Patricia Mills have acknowledged that they are actually Russian citizens whose true names are Mikhail Kutzik and Natalia Pereverzeva, according to new court documents made public. They and Mikhail Semenko, who are among the 11 suspects charged in the alleged spy ring, were ordered detained without bail. One suspect has already jumped bail after being arrested in Cyprus and is being hunted.
Prosecutors said they have recovered $100,000 in cash and passports in the names of Zottoli and Mills in two safe deposit boxes allegedly held by the couple. "One of the safe deposit boxes contained $80,000 in cash, which was in eight unmarked envelopes -- each of which held $10,000 in apparently new $100 bills,'' prosecutors said in court documents.
The three will be back in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing on charges of being unregistered foreign agents.
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