Foreign government agent accuses US government employee of attempted data leak
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - A Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) information technology specialist, Nathan Vilas Laatsch, was arrested and charged with attempting to transmit classified information to a representative of a foreign government, according to the Justice Department. The foreign government is described as an ally, though its exact identity remains undisclosed.
Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, is accused of intending to deposit sensitive records at a prearranged location, where he believed he would be meeting with an official from the foreign government, but who was, in fact, an undercover FBI agent.
According to prosecutors, Laatsch's actions were motivated by his disapproval of the current administration's values. The investigation into Laatsch, who has been working at the DIA since 2019, began in March after officials received a tip about him offering to provide classified information to another nation.
Laatsch is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. The details of his legal representation were not immediately available.
During the course of the investigation, an undercover agent made contact with Laatsch, who began writing classified information on a notepad and scheduled drop-offs in public parks. Prosecutors claim that Laatsch left behind a thumb drive containing multiple documents marked as Secret and Top Secret at one such drop-off.
Evidence suggests that Laatsch was interested in obtaining citizenship from the foreign government due to his belief that "things here will not improve in the long term."
The Associated Press found that Laatsch worked in the Insider Threat Division at the DIA.
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