A Russian citizen accused by U.S. authorities of posing as a banker in New York in order to spy for his government lost a bid on July 29 to have his charges thrown out.

Evgeny Buryakov’s request was rejected by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan.

The indictment alleges that from 2012 through January, Buryakov teamed up with low-level diplomats to gather sensitive economic intelligence on potential U.S. sanctions against Russian banks and on efforts in the United States to develop alternative energy resources.

Buryakov worked at the New York branch of Russia’s development bank Vnesheconombank (VEB) but prosecutors say he was secretly engaged in covert work for Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service.

The charges against Buryakov are based on a federal statute that requires agents working for foreign governments to register with the U.S. department of Justice.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called for Buryakov’s release, citing a lack of evidence.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP