Accused Spy Has South Orange Ties

Seton Hall University officials have confirmed that Mikhail Semenko, who was arrested this weekend by the FBI, completed graduate studies at the university. Semenko, who grew up in Russia, was one of the 11 Russian agents arrested as part of an alleged spy ring.

SHU's Jill Matthews reports that Semenko, who used his real name, arrived at SHU in 2005 to earn two masters' degrees in Asian Studies/Diplomacy and International Relations, a dual-degree program that shares coursework between the two disciplines. He completed his studies in 2008. Semenko moved to the Washington DC-area, where he worked at Travel All Russia. He retained ties to SHU. He reportedly attended an alumni function in Washington DC just days before his arrest.

In addition to Semenko, two other members of the spy ring have New Jersey ties: Richard and Cynthia Murphy lived in Montclair. SHU officials have no information about where Semenko lived during his graduate school years. 

Semenko is charged with conspiring to illegally act as an agent of a foreign government, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Semenko is scheduled to have a detention hearing at 2 pm on Thursday in federal court in Alexandria, Va.