In 1935, he entered the United States with false identity papers. He recruited agents in the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Treasury, and U.S. intelligence services. In 1939, he was transferred back to the Soviet Union. By 1942, Akhmerov had become chief "illegal resident" in the United States during World War II. American agents he ran for the Soviets include Laurence Duggan, Mary Price, and Michael Straight (the last knew Akhmerov as "Michael Green"). Places he likely lived during that time include New York City and Baltimore.