The FBI has arrested ten alleged Russian spies in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and Boston, and an eleventh member of the alleged ring was arrested in Cyprus. Prosecutors have claimed Russian authorities had directed the men and women to gather information on nuclear weapons, US policy toward Iran, CIA leadership, congressional politics and other topics. The alleged spies have been charged with acting as an agent of a foreign government, but they are not facing espionage charges. Nine of them have also been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The arrests came only three days after President Barack Obama met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the White House. One of the alleged spies was identified as Vicky Peláez, a columnist for the New York-based Spanish-language newspaper El Diario.