The Perfect Spy Was a Cuban Agent

Ana Belen Montes, the most effective and damaging Cuban spy known to have penetrated U.S. intelligence, was a major warrior in the long nasty war between the United States and its communist neighbor. On Jan. 6, after serving just over 21 years of a 25 year sentence for espionage, she was released from a maximum […]

Maryland Nuclear Engineer and Wife Sentenced for Espionage-Related Offenses

(DOJ) A Maryland man and his wife were sentenced today for conspiracy to communicate Restricted Data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships. Jonathan Toebbe, 44, of Annapolis, was sentenced today to 232 months, over 19 years, of incarceration. His wife, Diana Toebbe, 46, was sentenced to 262 months, more than 21 years, of incarceration. The […]

Former NSA Employee Arrested on Espionage-Related Charges

This case started and got wrapped up fast and his employment at NSA was only one month? (DOJ) A Colorado Springs man will make his initial appearance in federal court today on charges that he attempted to transmit classified National Defense Information (NDI) to a representative of a foreign government. Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 30, was […]

Naval Flight Officer Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Lying About Connection With China

(DOJ) A Florida man was sentenced today to four years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to violate U.S. firearms laws, making false written statements to federally licensed firearms dealers during the purchase of two firearms, and making false written statements as part of a security clearance background investigation. Fan Yang, […]

Wife of Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related Offense

(DOJ) A Maryland woman pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to communicate Restricted Data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships. Her husband pleaded guilty to the same offense on Monday, Feb. 14. Diana Toebbe, 46, of Annapolis, was arrested on Oct. 9, 2021, for knowingly and voluntarily joining a conspiracy with her husband, Jonathan Toebbe, […]

Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related Offense

(DOJ) A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to communicate restricted data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships to a person he believed was a representative of a foreign nation. Jonathan Toebbe, 43, of Annapolis, was arrested on Oct. 9, 2021, after he placed an SD card at a pre-arranged “dead drop” at […]

PRC-Based Telecommunications Company Conspires with Former Motorola Solutions Employees to Steal Technology

(DOJ) A federal indictment was unsealed today in the Northern District of Illinois, charging a telecommunications company with conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. The indictment alleges that a telecommunications company conspired with former employees of Chicago-based Motorola Solutions Inc. to steal digital mobile radio (DMR) technology developed by Motorola. According to court documents, Motorola […]

Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Economic Espionage Conspiracy

(DOJ) Xiang Haitao, 44, a Chinese national formerly residing in Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit economic espionage. According to court documents, Xiang conspired to steal a trade secret from Monsanto, an international company based in St. Louis, for the purpose of benefitting a foreign government, namely the People’s Republic of China. […]

Dr. Charles Lieber Found Guilty of Concealing His Affiliation with the Wuhan University of Technology and His Participation in China’s Thousand Talents Program

(DOJ) The former Chair of Harvard University’s Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department was convicted by a federal jury today in connection with lying to federal authorities about his affiliation with the People’s Republic of China’s Thousand Talents Program and the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) in Wuhan, China, as well as failing to report income […]

Former Defense Contractor Arrested for Attempted Espionage

(DOJ) A South Dakota man was arrested last night in Lead, South Dakota, on criminal charges related to his alleged espionage attempts. According to court documents, John Murray Rowe Jr., 63, of Lead, attempted to provide classified national defense information to the Russian government. According to the complaint, Rowe, who is originally from Massachusetts, was employed […]

Maryland Nuclear Engineer and Spouse Arrested on Espionage-Related Charges

(DOJ) Jonathan and Diana Toebbe, both of Annapolis, Maryland, were arrested in Jefferson County, West Virginia, by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) on Saturday, Oct. 9. They will have their initial appearances on Tuesday, Oct. 12, in federal court in Martinsburg, West Virginia. For almost a year, Jonathan Toebbe, 42, aided by […]

Woman Pleads Guilty to Unauthorized Removal and Retention of Classified Material

(DOJ) A Hawaii woman pleaded guilty today to one count of knowingly removing classified information concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States and retaining it at an unauthorized location. According to court documents, Asia Janay Lavarello, 31, of Honolulu, admitted to having removed and retained numerous classified documents, writings and notes relating […]