By Nina Mandell
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — In a move meant to avoid an embarrassing court spectacle, the federal government may allow the defendants accused of spying for Russia to plead guilty to lesser charges that could allow them to return to Russia, the New York Times reported.
The deal could avoid a court case that would strain US-Russian relations and get the case — which is embarrassing for both parties — off of the front pages of newspapers, the paper said.
The 10 defendants in custody have been charged with a litany of offenses including conspiring to act as unregistered agents of a foreign government.
Eight of the 10 were also charged with conspiring to commit money laundering.
Those charges could result in up to 25 years in prison, the Times said.
The case has been tabloid fodder since the alleged Russian agents were arrested two weeks ago, on the eve of President Obama’s trip to meet with Russian leaders.
It is not clear what information if any the alleged spies passed to Russia, but many of them had built lives and raised children in the United States for the past decade.
One alleged agent went missing in Europe after he was released on bail.
