Unidentified 47-year-old alleged to have handed over data to Russia for a number of years in return for cash.
Sweden has charged a 47-year-old man with spying for Russia by promoting data for a number of years to a Russian diplomat.
Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist mentioned in an announcement on Monday that the unidentified man had labored as a guide at a number of Swedish corporations the place he had illegally obtained and offered data, inserting the nation’s safety in danger.
“Whereas a guide at his former workplaces, I allege that he obtained materials with the aim of offering data to a overseas energy, on this case, Russia,” mentioned Ljungqvist.
“The person was apprehended while assembly a Russian diplomat the place he had simply obtained 27,800 Swedish crowns [$3,360] from the diplomat.”
‘A prolonged sentence’
The prosecution alleged that the person illegally transferred materials from his work laptop to his personal laptop and thereafter to USB sticks.
To cover his actions from being logged, he additionally photographed materials from the display screen of his work laptop, it mentioned.
Ljungqvist mentioned the suspect may anticipate “a prolonged sentence” if convicted.
In Sweden, the utmost penalty is for espionage is six years.
In a separate assertion, the top of Sweden’s home safety company’s counter-espionage unit, Daniel Stenling, mentioned “assaults on Sweden from different nations have been broadened and deepened in recent times”.
“They’re aimed not least at our financial prosperity and our basic freedoms and rights. Within the final 12 months alone the [service] has investigated each assassination makes an attempt and unlawful intelligence actions, and in addition espionage,” he mentioned.
The incident comes simply weeks after Germany, Poland and Sweden expelled an worker of Russia’s embassy in every nation.
The February 8 expulsion was a coordinated tit-for-tat response to Moscow’s expulsion of a diplomat every from Germany, Poland and Sweden.
Ties between Russia and the European Union have worsened over Russian opposition chief Alexey Navalny’s arrest and jailing in latest weeks, which have sparked nationwide opposition protests.
Navalny was arrested in Moscow upon his return on January 17 from Germany, the place he had obtained therapy after his alleged poisoning in Russia.