Russian spy posed as Brazilian student at Johns Hopkins to gain intel on Americans, DOJ says

A Russian spy posed as a Brazilian student in order to enter the U.S. and attend Johns Hopkins University's international relations graduate program, according to a federal indictment.

GRU operative Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, 37, masqueraded as a South American student named Victor Ferreira and even applied for a job at the International Criminal Court, in order to position himself inside the American security establishment.

The Justice Department claims Cherkasov entered the U.S. in 2018 in hopes of gathering intel on Americans and made connections with a State Department employee, a Capitol Hill worker, and other security officials. 

Cherkasov allegedly created the 'Ferreira' alias while in Brazil where he pretended to be the son of a deceased Brazilian national. 

In 2022, the Russian spy tried to access the International Criminal Court in the Hague, reportedly to obtain information on the investigation into Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

According to court documents, GRU operative Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, 37, masqueraded as a South American student named Victor Ferreira and even applied for a job at the International Criminal Court

Cherkasov attended Johns Hopkins University's international relations program in 2018

In 2022, the Russian spy tried to access the International Criminal Court in the Hague, reportedly to obtain information on the investigation into Russia's invasion of Ukraine 

After Cherkasov got into Johns Hopkins' prestigious international relations program in 2018, he sent an email to several people who had helped him gain entry. 

'Today we made the future — we managed to get in one of the top schools in the world,' he wrote in the email that was cited in federal court Friday by the DOJ. 

'This is the victory that belongs to all of us man — to the entire team. Today we f**king drink!!!' the Russian agent wrote at the time. 

The 'team' he was thanking at the time included top Russian handlers who had positioned him to go deep undercover at the grad school. 

In another email after he had obtained his visa into the U.S. he exclaimed that the team 'won.'

'Man, I got it! I f**king got it!' he wrote.  

'We go there being welcomed! We won, bro. Now we are in the big-boys league.'

According to Justice Department officials, Cherkasov's intended goal was to gain access and get in with all corners of the American security establishment. 

'Today we made the future — we managed to get in one of the top schools in the world,' Cherkasov wrote in an email to his Russian handlers back in 2018

'We go there being welcomed! We won, bro. Now we are in the big-boys league,' Cherkasov wrote in another email to his Russian team regarding him obtaining a U.S. visa

Straight out of the real-life inspired hit TV show 'The Americans,' the Russian spy allegedly worked at a travel agency in Brazil

In the latest round of revelations pertaining to the case, emails and messages, court documents and other information revealed the full story of Cherkasov's path to the U.S.  

Law enforcement combed through Cherkasov's computer and found evidence ranging from court records, details about 'dead drops' where messages could be left, illicit money transfer records, and other nefarious details. 

Straight out of the real-life inspired hit TV show 'The Americans,' the Russian spy allegedly worked at a travel agency in Brazil. 

The agency was suspected to have been run by a GRU operative and has since shut down. 

Cherkasov also had a detailed backstory to follow, referred to as his 'legend,' which painted a tragic story for the 'Brazilian.'  

The story included him being brought up by caretakers after his 'Brazilian mother' Juraci Eliza Ferreira died in 1993.

Court records say the woman had actually died childless. 

Potentially the strangest part of Cherkasov's 'legend' includes his own 'manifesto' in which he tried to familiarize himself with his role.  

One document found on his computer 'reads like the notes of an actor trying to familiarize himself with a part' the Washington Post wrote in an article. 

'I am Victor Muller Ferreira,' the document reads.  

He then goes on to describe his childhood in which he says he grew up smelling fish near a bridge in Rio de Janeiro and described a pinup poster of Pamela Anderson in a mechanic shop where he worked. 

When asked about his ancestry given his bright blond hair and accent, he would state he had German ancestry. 

'My fellow pupils often used to joke about my looks and my accent,' it says about his days at schools - which did not happen - 'they called me 'gringo. That is why I did not have many friends.'

Throughout the investigation and even after his identity was outed, Russia has repeatedly denied that Cherkasov is a Russian agent. 

Cherkasov also had a detailed backstory to follow, referred to as his 'legend,' which painted a tragic story for the 'Brazilian.' The story included him being brought up by caretakers after his 'Brazilian mother' Juraci Eliza Ferreira died in 1993

After graduation, Cherkasov was offered a position at the International Criminal Court

One document found on his computer 'reads like the notes of an actor trying to familiarize himself with a part' the Washington Post wrote in an article

While at Johns Hopkins for two years, he would repeatedly report back to his bosses in the GRU, according to an FBI affidavit. 

After graduation, however, he was offered a position at the International Criminal Court in The Netherlands. 

Just as he was about to begin his six-month internship at the Hague, he was turned away by Dutch authorities. 

Upon his arrival in The Netherlands, the Russian spy was sent back to Brazil based on information provided by the FBI. 

In Brazil, he was immediately arrested and charged with acting as an agent of a foreign power, visa fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and other charges in connection with illegal activities in the US. 

He is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence. 

In the months after his arrest, officials discovered the extent of his mission both in the U.S. and at the International Criminal Court in The Netherlands.

At The Hague, Cherkasov was tasked with gathering information about US policy toward the potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

'I was working with my contacts … to find out what the academic community, political advisors and analysts think about the recent Russian military build-up near the Ukrainian border,' Cherkasov allegedly wrote. 

'Especially I was aiming to find out what are their advice to the administration,' the message shared in federal filings stated. 

He allegedly said to one handler that one of his American security contacts 'told [US Secretary of State is Antony] Blinken … that Russians were always holding the line of respectful talks, but now it's nothing like that,' Cherkasov wrote. 

'So, in her reports she confirms that there is no diplomatic opening possible and Russians are tired and will not negotiate,' the message continued. 

Just as he was about to begin his six-month internship at the Hague, he was turned away by Dutch authorities upon arrival in The Netherlands

In Brazil, he was immediately arrested and charged with acting as an agent of a foreign power, visa fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and other charges in connection with illegal activities

When he was arrested in Brazil, Cherkasov was allegedly in possession of a hard drive which had fake childhood memories on it. 

Even after he was taken into custody, he maintained that he was Brazilian. 

Finally, at one point in Brazilian court, he gave a tearful confession where he said he had fled Russia over a petty crime. 

Russia has stated that Cherkasov is Russian but has denied that he is a GRU agent. 

The Russian government has since has requested his extradition from Brazil.