Abandoned by their parents, the Russian spies: The children as young as ONE left in U.S. by agents who put Motherland first

By Daniel Bates
Updated:


The Russian spies abandoned seven children when they were deported from the United States, leaving their future fraught with uncertainty.

Aged from one to 20, they were left behind when their parents pleaded guilty to spying for Russia and were put on a flight home.

The youngsters were immediately put into the care of social services with a huge question mark over whether or not they will join their parents in Moscow.

Most of the children have only known life in America and do not even speak Russian. Experts said they will be dealing with psychological fallout of their parents’ ‘betrayal’ for the rest of their lives.

Not even for you, son: Left, Juan Jose Lazaro Jr, 17, the son of accused Russian spies Vicky Pelaez and Juan Lazaro. Right, Waldo Marsical, 38, son of Vicky Pelaez and stepson of Juan Lazaro. The pair are shown at court yesterday

Staying put: Juan Jose Lazaro Jr, 17, left, the son of Vicky Pelaez and Juan Lazaro, and his half brother Waldo Marsical will remain in the U.S. - despite their parents being deported to Russia

But if they remain in the U.S., which they have the right to do, they face being stigmatised, thrown out of school and bullied because of their parents' actions.

According to the Child Welfare League of America, they would have been handled in exactly the same way as any other child of a parent who was arrested.

At first, they would be taken into a temporary foster home whilst the parents and authorities worked out what to do.

New York-based Juan Lazaro, 66, whose real name is Mikhail Vasenkov, told prosecutors that his loyalty to Russia was so strong that he would not betray the 'Service' even for his 17-year-old son - Juan Jose Lazaro, Jr, a talented pianist.

Juan Lazaro Jr's mother is Vicky Pelaez, 55, another one of the spies.

It is not know if he will use a visa issued by the Russian government to visit his mother there.

Accused: In this courtroom sketch, from L-R, Vicky Pelaez, Richard Murphy, Cynthia Murphy, and Juan Lazaro in a Manhattan federal court yesterday

Deported: From left, Vicky Pelaez, Richard Murphy, Cynthia Murphy, and Juan Lazaro, have all left their children behind

The pair could be reunited in her native Peru, which he has frequently visited.

Vladimir and Lydia Guryev, 54 and 49, had been living in Montclair, New Jersey, under the names Richard and Cynthia Murphy with their daughters Katie, 11, and Lisa, who is believed to be seven.

It is not clear what their fate will be.

The youngest children were those of Mikhail Kutsik, 41, and Natalia Pereverzeva, 36, who had been living in Seattle and Arlington, Virginia, under the aliases Michael Zottoli and Patricia Mills.

Their children were aged just one and three.

According to Arlington County social services, the children were taken into foster care and the couple wanted friends to look after them. In the future, they may go to Russia to rejoin their parents.

Boston-based Donald Heathfield, 49 and Tracey Foley, 47, were the aliases for Andrey Bezrukov and Elena Vavilova, who lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and had two sons.

A plane transporting the 10 Russian spies who pleaded guilty to being foreign agents, taxies for takeoff at New York's LaGuardia Airport this morning

Moscow bound: A plane transporting the 10 Russian spies who pleaded guilty taxis ng foreign agents, taxies for takeoff at New York's LaGuardia Airport last night

One was a 20-year-old student at George Washington University and the other a 16-year-old who attended a private high school in Boston.

They could make the easiest transition to another country as they have already spent time living in France and speak several languages.

Cases involving the arrests of both parents on spying charges are rare in the U.S., but one of the most high-profile was Robert Meeropol.

He was orphaned at the age of six when his parents Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were executed on spy charges in 1953 at the height of the McCarthy era.

‘The repercussions of what has happened will not end today or tomorrow, but will continue for the rest of their lives,’ he said.

‘These kids have been told one thing and the reality is different so it may feel like a betrayal.

‘My brother suffered harassment at school and we had to move but even then we were found out and the local school board passed a motion to ban us from the local education system.

‘In the end we changed our names and a news blackout was imposed, although these days with the Internet I’m not sure that will be as easy to do.

‘These children will be asking questions their whole lives and it is not something that goes away.’

Mr Meeropol, 63, who runs a charity helping children whose parents have been jailed for ‘progressive activities’, added: ‘I would never do what my parents did because I have seen the consequences and effects on me, which I still feel to this day.’

 A senior U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the deal said the youngsters will be permitted to leave the U.S. at any time, as long as the departure complies with the wishes of the parents and with U.S. law.

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