19 Facts About Judith Coplon

Judith Coplon Socolov was a spy for the Soviet Union whose trials, convictions, and successful constitutional appeals had a profound influence on espionage prosecutions during the Cold War.

Judith Coplon was born on May 17,1921, to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York.

Judith Coplon's father Samuel Coplon was a toymaker and mother Rebecca Moroh a milliner.

Judith Coplon went to public school Joseph F Lamb in Brooklyn, New York.

Judith Coplon was recruited for Soviet espionage at Columbia University by Flora Wovschin and Marion Davis Berdecio.

In 1944, Judith Coplon obtained a job in the US Department of Justice.

Judith Coplon transferred to the Foreign Agents Registration section, where she had access to counter-intelligence information, and was allegedly recruited as a spy by the NKGB at the end of 1944.

Evidence later emerged that Judith Coplon was recruited as a Soviet spy during the early months of 1945.

Judith Coplon had a meeting with Vladimir Pravdin, the NKVD station chief in New York City on January 4,1945.

Judith Coplon thought the stuff acquired by her couldn't represent an interest to the compatriots but could for an organization like the Comintern or another institution bearing a relationship to us.

Judith Coplon added that she hoped she was working specifically for us, since she considered it the highest honor to have an opportunity to provide us with modest help.

Judith Coplon passed to her NKVD contact a number of documents from the archive.

Judith Coplon came to the attention of the FBI as a result of a Venona message in late 1948.

Judith Coplon's attorney was Archibald Palmer and Gubitchev's was Abraham Pomerantz.

Judith Coplon was convicted in two separate trials, one for espionage that began on April 25,1949 and another for conspiracy along with Gubitchev in 1950.

Judith Coplon drew a great deal of interest, particularly in the lively tabloid press of the day.

In 1950 Judith Coplon married one of her attorneys, Albert Socolov, and they remained married until her death in 2011.

Once the trials concluded, Judith Coplon disappeared from the public space.

Judith Coplon went on to pass a master's degree in education, published bilingual books and taught creative writing to women in prison.