New photo PICTURED: American citizen Paul Whelan arrested on spying allegations in Russia

The American who was arrested in Russia as an accused spy has been identified as a Michigan man who worked for an automotive parts company. 

Paul Nicholas Whelan, 48, is a Marine veteran who was visiting Moscow for a wedding when he was arrested on December 28, his brother David Whelan said in a statement on Tuesday.

'We have read reports of the arrest in Moscow of Paul Whelan, our son & brother. Paul is a retired Marine and was visiting Moscow to attend a wedding,' David Whelan said in the statement.

'We noticed that he was not in communication on the 28th, which was very much out of character for him even when he was traveling,' the statement continued.

Paul Whelan is seen in a family photo. He was arrested on December 28 on espionage allegations in Russia

 

Paul Whelan's twin brother, an attorney in Ontario, issued the above statement on Tuesday

'We learned of his arrest on Monday morning after his detention was picked up on newswires and have contacted Congressional representatives, the U.S. Embassy, and the State Department.

'We are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being. His innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected.' 

Public records show that Paul Whelan is a resident of Novi, Michigan, a small city on the northwest outskirts of Detroit.

Records indicate that he was formerly employed as a senior manager of global security and investigations for Kelly Services, a temporary staffing firm headquartered in Troy, Michigan, about a 40-minute drive from Novi.

Paul Nicholas Whelan, 48, (above) is a retired Marine and was visiting Moscow to attend a wedding when he was arrested on December 28, his brother

Whelan focused on physical security for the company's headquarters, according to a 2013 interview with Security Magazine. 

A spokeswoman for Kelly Services told DailyMail.com that a Paul Whelan was employed there until February 2016. She was unable to confirm that he was the same individual arrested.

Records also list Paul Whelan as the director of global security and investigations for auto parts maker BorgWarner, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan about 30 miles from Novi. 

A BorgWarner spokeswoman was unable to immediately comment of Whelan's employment status with the company.

Whelan's arrest was announced on Monday in a terse statement from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

The FSB revealed on Friday that Whelan had been arrested. Pictured above are the State Historical Museum (left) in Moscow and the towers of the Kremlin (right)

Experts on the Kremlin quickly speculated that the arrest was bogus, and an attempt to create leverage against America in the case of Russian woman Maria Butina (above) 

'On December 28, 2018, in the city of Moscow, a US citizen Paul Whelan was detained by officers of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation during a spy mission,' the statement said.

No other details about the allegations against Whelan were immediately available. 

Russia's Foreign Ministry said that Whelan could be facing 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Experts on the Kremlin quickly speculated that the arrest was bogus, and an attempt to create leverage against America in the case of Maria Butina, a Russian woman who was recently convicted in the U.S. of acting as an illegal foreign agent.

'Looks like Putin wants a hostage for leverage purposes,' wrote financier Bill Browder, Bill Browder, who calls himself Vladimir Putin's 'Enemy Number One'. 

'Generally countries kick out suspected foreign spies, not arrest them.'  

Kremlin foe Bill Browder, who calls himself Vladimir Putin's 'Enemy Number One', accused Russia of wanting 'a hostage for leverage purposes' after Whelan's arrest

Browder, an American-born British financier who spearhead the Magnitsky Act, took to Twitter to express his concerns on Monday morning following the arrest of Paul Nicholas Whelan

In a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said: 'We are aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen by Russian authorities. We have been formally notified of the detention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.' 

'Russia’s obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it,' the statement continued.

Citing privacy considerations, the State Department declined to comment further. 

President Donald Trump has yet to comment on the mounting diplomatic crisis sparked by Whelan's arrest.

In a tweet on Tuesday morning, as Welan's brother confirmed his identity, Trump wrote in all caps: 'Happy New Year to everyone, including the haters and the fake news media!'

'2019 will be a fantastic year for those not suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome. Just calm down and enjoy the ride, great things are happening for our country!'  

Whelan's arrest dramatically increases tensions in a growing spy drama between the U.S. and Russia. 

On December 13, Butina in a deal with prosecutors pleaded guilty to working on behalf of the Kremlin to cultivate sources inside the Republican party before the 2016 presidential election. 

The 30-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of 'conspiracy against the United States' when she appeared at federal court in Washington D.C.  

Butina said she acted at 'the direction' of a Russian official, who was not named in court, but previously has been identified as Alexander Torshin, a Russian politician close to Vladimir Putin and who is now subject to U.S. sanctions as well as being an alleged mafia money-launderer.

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News Pictures PICTURED: American citizen Paul Whelan arrested on spying allegations in Russia

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