NOVI (WWJ) - Concerns are mounting over the health of a Metro Detroit native currently detained in Russia after family members say he failed to contact them over Thanksgiving.
The Biden administration said Paul Whelan of Novi hasn't been in touch for over a week, remaining uncharacteristically quiet over the holiday as well as his father's birthday.
Whelan's lack of contact "deeply concerns" government officials and family members.
“Our embassy in Moscow has been working to understand exactly Paul’s condition and why his family hasn’t heard from him,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
“It is a concern. We’re all worried, very much worried about Paul, and about Brittney Griner as well. As we have said repeatedly, they shouldn’t be detained in the first place,” she added, making references to the WNBA star who has been detained since February.
Whelan, who is a resident of Novi, was arrested in 2018 while he was in Russia on allegations of being a spy for the U.S. Whelan has adamantly denied all allegations and Russian officials have never presented evidence against him publicly.
Whelan has served three and a half years of his 16 year sentence in a Russian labor camp where he remains to this day.
On Wednesday, national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the Biden Administration has been trying to get updates, but so far hasn't been successful.
“That deeply concerns us and we certainly share the anxiety and the concern of the Whelan family,” he said.
The last time Whelan spoke with relatives was on Nov. 23, family members said. They called his silence over Thanksgiving and missing out on calling his dad for his birthday as highly unusual.
Speaking with WWJ on Thursday, Whelan's brother David says "he warned us that if he was ever not able to make a phone call for three days that we should let the U.S. Embassy know."
"So we did, and it's now been a week," David Whelan said. "It's extremely unusual of Paul to miss calling on anniversaries, on birthdays, on holidays because he knows that's important to our family, but I think it's important for his ability to survive there, to have those connections to normalcy."
The Biden administration has been adamant on its stance that both Griner and Whelan are being wrongfully detained.
Back in July, officials in the U.S. offered the Kremlin a deal to secure the release of both Americans in a prisoner swap. It remains unclear what or who the Biden Administering was offering and whether it would be enough for Russia to release the Americans.
Reports suggested the U.S. was potentially considering convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for Whelan and Griner.
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