A British man suspected of spying for Russia in exchange for cash has been arrested in Germany, federal prosecutors said Wednesday, in a case expected to stoke tensions between Berlin and Moscow.
The suspect identified only as David S., who worked until the time of his arrest as local staff at the British embassy, “on at least one occasion passed on documents he acquired as part of his professional activities to a representative of Russian intelligence.”
“The accused received a cash payment in an unspecified amount in return,” the federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
It said David S. was taken into custody Tuesday in the eastern city of Potsdam on an arrest warrant issued on Aug. 4. His home and place of work were searched.
The suspect was believed to have been spying since November 2020.
His arrest was the result of a joint operation by German and British authorities. The British embassy in Berlin declined to comment on the case and referred inquiries to the Home Office.