A new Channel 4 documentary tonight explores the extraordinary life of Anna Chapman, the glamorous Russian spy who infiltrated elite circles in New York and London before being exposed by the FBI. The documentary's synopsis compares her story to a Hollywood spy movie plot, promising to tell the true story of a glamorous Russian spy who infiltrated UK society and America's corridors of power.
Spy Undercover in High Society
Chapman secretly worked for Russia's SVR intelligence service while partying with billionaires and celebrities in Manhattan's VIP hotspots. Born to a KGB official in Russia, she married a British citizen in 2001 to gain dual citizenship. She moved to New York in 2009, setting up a property business as cover while infiltrating high society, rubbing shoulders with Wall Street executives and economist Nouriel Roubini, nicknamed 'Dr. Doom' after predicting the 2008 financial crisis.
Behind the glamorous facade, Chapman was part of the Illegals Programme, transmitting encrypted messages to Moscow from Barnes and Noble cafés. Her mission was to gather intelligence and build networks to influence US foreign policy.
Exposure and Exchange
The FBI tracked her for years under Operation Ghost Stories before sending in an undercover agent posing as a Russian handler. When Chapman grew suspicious and tested a fake passport at a police station on her father's advice, agents swooped. She was arrested in June 2010 and held for just 12 days before being exchanged for Western spies in Vienna, including Sergei Skripal, later targeted in the Salisbury Novichok attack. Vladimir Putin claimed he "sang patriotic songs" with the returned agents at a special reception.
New Role in Russia
Following her return to Russia, Chapman embraced celebrity in her home country and worked as a TV presenter, model and influencer with her own fashion line. Last year, she began a brand new job as head of the Museum of Russian Intelligence. She remains active on Instagram under the name Anya Chapman.
