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Redhead Spy Still Favorite Of Tabloids
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 1, 2010
Modified Jul 1, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 1, 2010
Modified Jul 1, 2010
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The cover of today's Post feature a huge photograph of alleged Russian spy, Anna Chapman, and the headline "SPYVY LEAGUE." But the story is actually about another suspected mole, Cynthia Murphy, and how she allegedly used her cred as a recent MBA graduate from Columbia Business School to recruit more spies for Mother Russia! But Murphy only gets a little inset photo, because there are no photos of Murphy looking over her shoulder fetchingly while wearing some sort of baby blue lingerie-type top.
According to the Post, Murphy, who lived in Montclair, NJ with her husband (or is that "husband") and fellow accused spy, Richard, "code-named "N" by her Moscow handlers, not only tried to recruit secret agents, she also had another nefarious mission -- digging up dirt on fellow students who expressed interest in or were signed up for jobs at the CIA, a criminal complaint says."
Apparently Russia's SVR spy agency told her "to strengthen... ties w/ classmates on daily basis incl. professors who can help in job search and who will have (or already have) access to secret info" and to "Report to C[enter] on their detailed personal data and character traits w. preliminary conclusions about their potential (vulnerability) to be recruited by Service." A Columbia student told the Post that Murphy's arrest was "so cool. It's exciting. I'm not super-surprised. Someone like that probably has a lot of skills to spy. And the same skills probably got her in."
But don't worry—the Post does have a story on Chapman, the redheaded "spy." And she is not a natural redhead! Apparently she was a brunette when she went to the Ellysium Salon in the Financial District:
"The first time she came in, it was just for a blow-dry. She came in with brown hair and I said, 'I'll fix your color,' " [hairdresser Amos] Sharpe recalled. "And she said, 'Yes, I want red!"
She was apparently happy with the look -- Chapman thereafter came in every three weeks for a color, cut and blow-dry. She told Sharpe she worked in real estate, giving him a business card that read on the back, "Explore your possibilities."
The Daily News does not have Anna Chapman on the cover but does offer this funny story about an actress who looks just like her: Liza Marie Johnston said her friends "look at me, they look at the picture [of Chapman] and say, 'Oh my God!'" Johnston, who waits tables at Hillstone restaurant, even said a longtime customer joked, "I have to have to ask you three personal questions to make sure you are who you are." She reflect, "I mean, I don't want to be a Russian spy, but who doesn't want to be a secret agent?"
As for Chapman, the News reports she was dating an older NJ man, Michael Bittan, 60. His friend tells the News, "I didn't think it was exclusive on his part - he really loves hot women - but she enjoyed hanging with him... He moves in circles, knows celebrity chefs, meets politicians... He's a very wealthy and successful guy. He made his money in jeans, real estate, pharmaceuticals, restaurants. He's a nice, cool, family oriented man who loves women."
Tagged
alleged spy
anna chapman
Cynthia Murphy
intrigue
russia
spies
spy
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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