Former U.S. diplomat Fogel partially admits guilt in drug smuggling

MOSCOW. April 7 (Interfax) - Mark Fogel, a former employee of the U.S. embassy in Moscow, who is charged with drug smuggling and storage, admitted that he brought in drugs for medical purposes, Alexander Khurudzhi, a member of the Moscow Public Monitoring Commission and head of the human rights protection committee of the party New People, told Interfax.

"Fogel has partially admitted his guilt, and he does not deny the fact of transportation of a narcotic substance, but denies intent. Fogel said he needed it for medical purposes," Khurudzhi said.

According to earlier reports, Fogel was detained in possession of drugs in Sheremetyevo on August 15, 2021. He was charged with smuggling and illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, production, and processing of narcotic substances, psychotropic substances or their analogues.

Fogel, a former employee of the U.S. embassy in Moscow, was working as a teacher at the Anglo-American School. Same as his wife, he had diplomatic status until May 2021. According to a line of investigation, he might have used the diplomatic status to arrange the smuggling of drugs into Russia for distribution at the Anglo-American School.

The police released a video of the searches conducted at the Anglo-American School in Moscow as part of the investigation.

The school is managed by the embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada via the school council.