Peter Debbins

Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins is a former U.S. Army Green Beret. In August 2020, he was arrested and charged with conspiracy to provide classified defense information to the Russian intelligence services. Debbins pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit espionage on November 18, 2020.

Peter Debbins
Born
Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins

1975
Minnesota
EducationUniversity of Minnesota
OccupationFormer U.S. Army Green Beret
Known forEspionage
Criminal charge(s)Conspiracy to gather or deliver defense information to aid a foreign government
Spouse(s)Yelena
Espionage activity
Allegiance United States
Service branch United States Army
Service years1998–2005 (Army)
Rank Captain
CodenameIkar Lesnikov

Early life

Debbins' mother was born in the Soviet Union. Debbins met and married his wife in Russia in 1997.[1]

Education

In 1997, Debbins graduated from the University of Minnesota, where he was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

In 2015, he graduated with a master's degree in Strategic and International Studies from The Institute of World Politics.[2]

Military service

In July 1998, Debbins began his active service duty in the Army. From 1998 to 2005, he was deployed overseas in Korea, Germany, and Azerbaijan.[3]

In December 2005, he was honorably discharged.

He served in the United States Army's inactive reserve from 2005 until 2010.[4]

Peter Debbins was an instructor with IWP's Cyber Intelligence Initiative.[5]

Foreign recruitment

Debbins was first approached by Russian officers in December 1996. During this encounter, he told the officers that he was a "son of Russia."

In 1997, shortly after his college graduation, Debbins once again returned to Russia, where he was given the code name "Ikar Lesnikov".

In one meeting in 2003, Debbins accepted a bottle of Cognac and a Russian military uniform as payment.[1]

Every few years or so, up until at least 2011, Debbins would periodically visit Russia in order to meet with Russian intelligence officers.

Arrest

Debbins was arrested on August 21, 2020.[6][7] On November 18, 2020, Debbins pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia to one count of conspiracy to commit espionage, which carries a penalty of up to life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for February 26, 2021.[8]

References
  1. Barakat, Matthew (August 21, 2020). "Feds charge former Green Beret with espionage with Russia". Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Debbins' mother was born in the Soviet Union, and Debbins met his wife in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, where they were married in 1997, according to the indictment. ... In one meeting with Russian intelligence, he accepted a bottle of Cognac and a Russian military uniform as payment, according to the indictment.
  2. "Alumnus Spotlight: Peter Debbins, Army Special Forces, Russia analyst, and cyber instructor". iwp.edu. The Institute of World Politics. August 21, 2020. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Peter Debbins graduated from IWP in 2015 with a Professional M.A. in Strategic and International Studies.
  3. "United States of America v. Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins" (indictment). United States Department of Justice. August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  4. Goldman, Adam (August 21, 2020). "Ex-Green Beret Charged With Spying for Russia in Elaborate Scheme". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. He served in the United States Army's inactive reserve from 2005 until 2010.
  5. "Peter Debbins". iwp.edu. The Institute of World Politics. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020. Peter Debbins is an instructor with IWP's Cyber Intelligence Initiative.
  6. "Former Army Special Forces Officer Charged in Russian Espionage Conspiracy". United States Department of Justice (Press release). Office of Public Affairs. August 21, 2020. Archived from the original on August 21, 2020. A Gainesville, Virginia, man was arrested today for conspiring with Russian intelligence operatives to provide them with United States national defense information.
  7. "US special forces veteran charged with spying for Moscow". The Guardian. August 22, 2020.
  8. Weiner, Rachel (November 18, 2020). "Former Army Green Beret admits conspiring to spy for Russia". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
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