An American arrested in Russia was given a new 15-year prison sentence on charges of “espionage”.

A US citizen of Russian origin, already imprisoned in Russia on charges of bribery, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the second time on charges of espionage.

Moscow court accused of espionage against Gene Spector in August 2023, although details of the case have not been released.

According to local news agencies, Spector, whose Russian name is Yevgeny Mironovich, was born in Leningrad in 1972.

Spector, formerly an executive at a medical equipment company in Russia, was previously sentenced to three and a half years in prison in September 2022 for bribing an aide to former deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

Assistant Anastasia Alekseyeva was sentenced to 12 years in prison in April for accepting bribes in the form of two expensive vacations abroad.

During 2012-2018, Dvorkovich was the Deputy Prime Minister under Dmitry Medvedev. He currently heads the international chess federation FIDE.

Russia has detained and sentenced several US citizens who are dual US citizens in recent years. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was found guilty of espionage in July was released in August as part of a prisoner exchange with former US Marine Paul Whelan.