US government employee charged with trying to give classified information to a foreign government

[Zorro]

An information technology specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency was charged Thursday with attempting to transmit classified information to a representative of a foreign government, the Justice Department said.

Prosecutors say Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested at a location where he had arranged to deposit sensitive records to a person he thought was an official of a foreign government, but who was actually an undercover FBI agent. The identity of the country Laatsch thought he was in communication with was not disclosed, but the Justice Department described it as a friendly, or allied, nation.

It was not immediately clear if Laatsch, who was set to make a court appearance Friday, had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.

The Justice Department said its investigation into Laatsch began in March after officials received a tip that he had offered to provide classified information to another nation. Laatsch wrote in his email that he “did not agree or align with the values of this administration” and was willing to transmit sensitive materials, including intelligence documents, to which he had access, prosecutors said.

https://apnews.com/article/nathan-laatsch-espionage-charge-defense-intelligence-agency-e60388df7f4e07a8d8d942d86513b27c

I expect we will be hearing of a few more cases like this from dismissed/disgruntled ex-federal employees.

[essaynnc]

1. Hmmm.....

Just plead the Trump defense, it'll get you off every time!

[bucolic_frolic]

2. He's in hot water.

It's not like he was sharing battle plans, after all.

[k_buddy762]

3. Espionage

He'll be in prison for a while.

[Deep State Witch]

4. It's Still Espionage

Even if you don't hold the same values as the administration. I get it. I worked in the IC during the Iraq War - both of them. I thought going into Iraq was wrong. But you don't offer classified information to foreign governments because of it!

(Five to one, the "friendly government" was Israel).

[Eugene]

5. Alleged Spy Was Also 22-Year-Old Ex-Grocery Store Clerk Hired by Trump

Alleged Spy Was Also 22-Year-Old Ex-Grocery Store Clerk Hired by Trump (The Daily Beast)

A cybersecurity graduate of Florida Polytechnic University, Nathan Vilas Laatsch is the second national security official in two days whom The Daily Beast has revealed to have virtually no professional experience other than working at a grocery store before being hired by a U.S national security agency at the age of 22.

Laatsch, now 28, a computer scientist with “top secret” clearance at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Virginia, was hired under the last Trump administration. He was arrested last week, accused of attempting to pass sensitive information to Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND).

When Laatsch was hired for the role with a Top Secret security clearance at the age of 22 in August 2019, he had just stopped working as a cashier at Publix supermarket in Plant City, Florida, according to his LinkedIn account.

https://news.yahoo.com/news/alleged-spy-22-old-ex-165659028.html

[harumph]

6. he did have a degree in cybersecurity

from Florida Polytechnic. Why he was working as a cashier in a grocery store after his
degree is an interesting question.

[LisaL]

8. Probably couldn't find a job right away after graduation.

It happens.

[Kid Berwyn]

7. Ya know who else has tons of Top Secrets for sale?