Canadian teen recruited to spy for Russia, now sitting in Polish jail

As acold arsenic Laken Pavan's household knew, helium was backpacking astir Europe, soaking up the sights.

But the 17-year-old had a antithetic program erstwhile helium near Vancouver successful April 2024. First helium flew to Turkey. Then to Moscow, and connected to Russian-occupied Donetsk successful Ukraine. 

And it was determination that helium was recruited arsenic a spy. 

"This is truthful absurd," said Andelaine Nelson, his mother. "He's a bully kid.… He would person ne'er done this had helium not been pushed implicit the edge."

Nelson had lone precocious reconnected with her son. They were rebuilding a narration that had been severed a decennary earlier by divorcement and household troubles. And they were successful regular interaction arsenic helium travelled, exchanging messages via WhatsApp and Telegram. 

In aboriginal May, Laken told her helium was successful Denmark, moving connected a workplace with immoderate friends. A mates of weeks later, helium asked for immoderate wealth successful bid to bargain a level summons to Warsaw. The past clip they messaged was connected May 22, soon aft helium landed successful Poland. A fewer hours later, helium was successful jail.

"I was told that Laken had been arrested and charged with espionage against the Polish government," said Nelson. "It was devastating. Like your bosom sinks. It's your kid and you can't bash anything. I can't assistance him."

WATCH | Canadian teen successful Polish jailhouse aft being recruited to spy for Russia: 

A hurried confession

According to ineligible documents and details from Polish prosecutors, obtained by CBC News, Pavan was arrested aboriginal connected May 23, 2024, aft helium got drunk astatine a edifice barroom and confessed — archetypal to staff, past to constabulary — that helium was a Russian spy.

He told Polish investigators helium had travelled to Donetsk intending to unpaid with what helium believed to beryllium a humanitarian organization, but was alternatively targeted by an cause of the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB), and pressured into becoming a spy.

Provided with a caller cellphone and 3 SIM cards that helium was to usage to pass with his handler, Pavan was told to question to Warsaw to stitchery accusation connected the Polish subject and marque interaction with its members — contempt speaking lone English.

During a stopover successful Denmark, helium was instructed to study his passport stolen, and get caller question documents, successful bid to obscure his sojourn to Russia. And helium was to beryllium paid successful cryptocurrency for his services. 

Pavan was charged with "participating in the activities of Russian quality against the Republic of Poland," and pleaded guilty. In December 2024, a three-judge sheet of the Warsaw determination tribunal sentenced the present 18-year-old to a full of 20 months successful jail, including his clip served successful pre-trial custody. In its judgment, the tribunal said it had shown "extraordinary" leniency owed to his confession and co-operation. He is scheduled to beryllium released successful January 2026.

Laken comes from a subject family, and his begetter Kevin Pavan, a retired maestro corporal, served successful Bosnia and Afghanistan. The teen was a longtime Canadian Forces cadet, and past reservist, and had planned to articulation the service afloat clip aft his 18th birthday. 

"It's ever been a imagination of his," said Nelson. "When helium was little, helium would enactment up marbles and unreal they were going to battle."

Concerns implicit subject ties

The household believes helium mightiness person been targeted by the Russians due to the fact that of his subject links. And they interest that different young soldiers could beryllium astatine risk. 

A Department of National Defence spokesperson told CBC News that Pavan's clip arsenic a Canadian Armed Forces reservist ended successful October 2024 — 5 months aft his apprehension successful Poland. Citing nationalist information protocols, the spokesperson refused to remark connected whether immoderate practices oregon policies person changed successful the aftermath of Pavan's confession and conviction.

Kevin Pavan declined an interrogation request. However, a Toronto lawyer who is advising the household says determination are galore reasons wherefore the nationalist should beryllium acrophobic astir this case. 

"The household had to effort to portion things unneurotic from talking to Global Affairs, and they were interviewed by quality agents. And what they've determined is that their lad was nether surveillance and known, agelong earlier helium went into Europe and East Asia," said John Kingman Phillips.

If so, Phillips contends authorities should person stopped Laken earlier helium near the state and dealt with him nether Canadian instrumentality arsenic a young offender. 

"This is precisely the failing of the Canadian strategy and the Canadian quality and constabulary network. They should person unopen this down successful Canada, focused connected his rehabilitation and reintegration. But alternatively he's present suffering successful a prison," said Phillips.

The RCMP declined to reply CBC News' questions astir Laken Pavan's case, arsenic did Public Safety Canada, the national section that oversees CSIS. 

One of Laken's adjacent friends told CBC News that the teen had been talking astir travelling to Russia for months. And that helium was trying to get distant from his troubles connected Vancouver Island and commencement a caller beingness overseas. 

The friend, whom CBC agreed not to sanction due to the fact that of the quality of the charges, says Laken erstwhile confided helium nary longer wanted to go, but felt helium had nary prime since helium had already shared his passport and subject ID accusation with the expected humanitarian group.

"What helium told maine is that successful 1 mode oregon another, each of this accusation would beryllium fixed to the Canadian authorities, and helium would beryllium successful occupation here," said the friend. "I deliberation however helium looked astatine it was helium made a shitty decision, and past helium was obligated to go."

Russia's increasing reach

Keir Giles, a elder consulting chap with the Russia and Eurasia Programme astatine Chatham House successful London, says Putin's FSB has been casting a wide nett for caller agents since the penetration of Ukraine. It's each portion of Moscow's propulsion to harass and unbalance NATO nations.

"Russia volition scope retired and enlistee anybody it can, due to the fact that that is present precise overmuch cheaper and easier acknowledgment to online access," said Giles. "The concern of clip and resources successful doing this is tiny compared to the imaginable results."

The extremity end isn't needfully to get concealed information, oregon prosecute successful sabotage, says Giles, but alternatively to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt. A extremity that tin beryllium met adjacent erstwhile spies are caught — oregon confess. 

"Russia places precise small worth connected the radical that it recruits. They are disposable," helium said.

Laken's household anticipation that helium volition soon instrumentality home, and person been told that quiescent negotiations are underway to let him to implicit his condemnation successful Canada. 

Global Affairs Canada told CBC News that they are "engaging with section authorities" successful Poland, but declined to supply immoderate further information, citing privateness concerns. 

A solution can't travel soon capable for Andelaine Nelson.

"He needs to travel home. He doesn't beryllium successful a Polish jail," she said. "He turned himself in. He didn't bash what they asked him to do. He knew it was wrong."

Jonathon Gatehouse tin beryllium contacted via email astatine [email protected], oregon reached via the CBC's digitally encrypted Securedrop strategy astatine https://www.cbc.ca/securedrop/