US News

Cyprus fool lets gang’s $$ man go on the lam

The suspected paymaster of the Russian spy ring vanished yesterday after a judge in Cyprus allowed him to go free on bail of only $24,400.

Officials on the Mediterranean island nation were at a loss to explain the stunning blunder that allowed Christopher Robert Metsos, 55, to slip out of an international dragnet.

Metsos was identified in documents filed Monday in Manhattan federal court as the senior Russian agent who funneled tens of thousands of dollars in cash to ring members — even burying some cash upstate for spies to dig up.

He was the only suspect at large when the feds closed down the ring, but he was caught early Tuesday at Cyprus’ international airport as he was about to leave for Budapest, Hungary, using a bogus Canadian passport.

Cypriot authorities were warned Friday by a high-priority “red notice” from Interpol to stop Metsos and hold him for extradition if he tried to flee.

But he was allowed to post bail Tuesday — provided he agreed to sign in at a police station in the town of Larnaca every day between 6 and 8 p.m.

Instead, he vanished. His lawyers said they hadn’t heard from him since Tuesday.

There was no immediate reaction from the United States, but Cypriot officials claimed to be stunned.

“I’m truly surprised that the court issued no such detention order,” said Ionas Nicolaou, a member of parliament.

Catching Metsos again may be difficult if he reaches the northern, Turkish-occupied part of the island, which has no extradition treaties with other countries. He could flee the area by plane or ferry.

andy.soltis@nypost.com