George Trofimoff - The Sting

The Sting

Beginning on July 10, 1997, FBI Agent Dmitri Droujinsky contacted Trofimoff, seeking a meeting. Special Agent Droujinsky, a fellow Russian American, had spent his career impersonating a KGB agent in order to trick suspected moles into confessing their guilt. In 1988, Droujinsky had successfully finessed a confession from U.S. Army warrant officer James Hall III, who had been spying for both the KGB and the East German Stasi.

Giving his name as "Igor Galkin", an SVR agent assigned to the Russian Embassy, Special Agent Droujinsky told Trofimoff that a defecting analyst had stolen or destroyed most of his file. In exchange for Trofimoff's assistance in rebuilding it, Droujinsky offered to compensate him financially.

Although Trofimoff was originally deeply skeptical about the offer, Special Agent Droujinsky finally succeeded in gaining his trust. On February 24, 1999, Trofimoff met with "Galkin" inside the Comfort Inn at Melbourne, Florida. As video tapes rolled, Trofimoff made detailed descriptions of his services for the KGB and his desperate need for more money. As a rationalization of his conduct, Trofimoff said,

"Actually, I tell you. In my soul, I'm Russian, I'm not an American... I was never an American, it's just ...help for the Motherland... I said many times that I was doing it for the Motherland, not for the Bolsheviks, not for, not for the Communists."

In response, Agent Droujinsky promised that the SVR would assist Trofimoff financially, but warned that it would take time.

On May 10, 2000, Agent Droujinsky telephoned Trofimoff after a silence lasting five months. When Trofimoff said that he had believed himself to have been forgotten, Droujinsky responded "No, no. We did not forget you, George. Listen, George, I have good news for you... Everything has been approved... And we're finalizing the last of the details. And can I meet you in Tampa on June 14? ...I will call you about one week before that... to tell you exactly what time and place."

Deeply moved, Trofimoff responded "Oh, Igor, you're, uh, saving my life... I was ready to put a bullet in my head... Wonderful... I thank you very much... Bye-Bye."

On June 24, 2000, Col. Trofimoff arrived at the Tampa International Airport Hilton Hotel to meet "Igor Galkin", who had promised to give him $20,000 in cash. Instead, Trofimoff was arrested by the FBI and charged with espionage. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Furr "Droujinsky's work was masterful. This guy's the finest undercover agent I've ever seen. There's no one close to him... He's an artist like Beethoven."