https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2015/01/27/fbi-russians-tried-recruit-spies-university-ny
NYU or Columbia???
Does it matter? The label itself is what’s so delicious.
Imagine the possibilities…
“The Spy from University-1”.
“I’m from University-1 and I’m here to help you.”
“At University-1, we take a different approach”
“University1; for a better tomorrow”.
(Whispered) “She’s from University-1”.
The list is endless.
Dibs.
I was amused. I think the NY Post reported one of the accused spies complained he “couldn’t get close” to the female students. While I’m usually the first to complain about students narrowing their field of study too early, as well as spending time cultivating an online presence, it at least means they aren’t aimlessly hanging out chatting with creepers.
Wondering just what kind of “intelligence” these students were supposed to provide to the Russians? It’s not like the “goings on” at a typical U.S. university would be all that valuable to the international community.
It’s an entry point.
I loved the timing of the FBI’s release, given that season 3 of FX’s “The Americans” debuts this week!
LOL @Periwinkle and @JustOneDad! Of course looking at the drawing of the 40 year old spy complaining that the girls wouldn’t let him get close, I’m not surprised.
http://nypost.com/2015/01/26/3-russians-charged-in-spy-plot-in-nyc/
@JustOneDad - would you explain the concept of “entry point” to me? This espionage stuff is pretty foreign to me but I do find it intriguing.
Obviously he did not spend enough time on College Confidential.
With all the complaints on CC about Columbia and NYU financial aid he was supposed to offer covering co-eds’ EFC instead of trying to charm them.
Harvest Moon – not a spy 
but from my understanding, it’s hard to recruit assets with existing leadership roles/access unless you have something substantial at play (they have a big secret, they are severely ideologically disillusioned, they really need money &/or are mentally ill in some way…etc…see Robert Hansen). It’s not like you can just cozy up to a senior-level staffer at the State Department and give them your pitch. You will blow your cover.
A soft way of recruiting is to try to gain trust/access with folks who may be able to later be persuaded to help you/your cause. As in, could current “Russian-origin” college students who are studying at the illustrious University1 be slowly warmed and then, maybe it could be suggested they get an internship at the White House? Or with a banking company? or whatever access you need? and then one day they can introduce you to the right asset (“the introduction”) or they can unwittingly pass along information? Or verify things? College age kids are probably more trusting, have fewer close relationships that would be alarmed (spouse/what have you) by the introduction of a new friend, etc.
China perfected this with young foreigners studying abroad. See the case of Glenn Duffie Shriver. I am sure there are more cases unreported. Kid gets recruited by Chinese intelligence agency while he is studying abroad in Shanghai. The story:
I’m pretty sure the idea is that they’ll eventually be in positions where they can provide Russia with intelligence. Not that they can do so now. Either that or they’ll eventually know someone with information well enough to know if they’d be willing to defect. It’s not like Russian agents can just start approaching people in the FBI and ask for information and hope someone bites.
Pure guess, I have no idea either.
A new version of a sugardaddy.
If they really need to compromise an American for espionage purposes, their first stop should be tracking down those kids who star in those scary articles about “$200,000 student loan debt from NYU for a degree in basket-weaving and now working as a barista while living with six roommates in a crate next to the Brooklyn Brige” that get posted here about once month. I’m sure those folks who gladly sell information to the Soviets in exchange for some cash.
(Although with those economic sanctions and the plummeting price of oil, can the Russians even afford good bribes any more? I’m not sure even the most spineless weasel would sell out her own country for $270 and a case of beer…)
DmitriR, if the student’s on financial aid, wouldn’t she have filed a FAFSA form? I’d assume any halfway competent background check for trusted positions would start with the financial side of life. “So, University1babe, how did you pay off your student loans?” There aren’t that many ways to explain a payoff. A lack of W-2s would make accepting the income tax avoidance, thus disqualifying. An internship at the (long Russian name) bank would also raise eyebrows.
They probably don’t want to leave an electronic trail, so they can’t use text, email, snapchat, tinder, craigslist, Facebook, It would be a very unusual young woman who’d date an old, balding creeper from the last century.
Those people are never going to have valuable information.
3kids304 is sorta on the track. Sometimes, it can be as simple as wanting to get a look at ID, or computer accounts, university procedures, or even building access so you can tap into something from a more trusted location.
Which student wouldn’t jump at the chance to earn some easy cash writing a few papers? Before long, they realize they are getting paid to write things unfavorable to their country and they are afraid to refuse the next request because of how things are looking.
Or, maybe your new friend asks you to take a package to his nephew who is also a “student”. You are now assisting a foreign agent.
Of course the artist makes the guy look like a Hollywood caricature evil ‘Soviet’.
Oh O.K. so they are really looking to “develop” relationships with the students that might prove fruitful in the future and perhaps use university assets now.
The Soviet Union hasn’t existed for nearly a quarter century.
Guys, NYU and Columbia are not the only universities in New York City! Come on. What about Pace, Fordham, CUNY, Manhattan College, and so forth?
Having said that, I bet it was NYU.