New images of Anna Chapman circulating around the internet Friday showed that even on a police mugshot the suspected Russian spy could retain the poise and glamor that made her famous during last month’s spy scandal.
The police photographs of Chapman and her nine fellow agents, posted by the smokinggun.com, were taken by U.S. Marshals shortly after their arrest as suspected secret agents.
PHOTOS: RUSSIAN SPY RING MUGSHOTS
Despite the pressurized circumstances, and harsh lighting, the image shows a lightly tanned, fresh-faced Chapman staring coolly at the camera, the very slight hint of a smile on her lips.
Her nine fellow agents did not fare so well. Their booking photographs betrayed the tiredness and strain of having their true identities exposed and cover stories blown. Many averted their eyes from the camera and all looked tired and drained.
They all pleaded guilty in a New York Court of acting as unregistered foreign agents for Russia before being expelled from the U.S. and exchanged for four imprisoned Russians in a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport on July 9.
Vladimir Putin, Russia’s Prime Minister, revealed at the weekend that he met all ten spies after their return and sang old KGB songs with them.