By ABC News. Hanssen was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 18, 1944 to a family of German and Polish origins. Read more Print length 352 pages Because of these coordinated efforts, the FBI was able to secure original Russian documentation of an American spy who appeared to the FBI to be Hanssen a premise that was soon to be confirmed when Hanssen was identified by the FBI as having clandestinely communicated with Russian intelligence officers. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 Hanssen became much more wary. He will report directly to the Attorney General and me and we will share his report with the National Security Council and Congress. None of the internal information or personnel security measures in place alerted those charged with internal security to his activities. Two and a half years ago, the FBI arrested Robert Hanssen, a 22-year veteran of the bureau, for selling secrets to Russia. Follow. A few years later, they moved to Anchorage, Alaska, and had two children. Robert Philip Hanssen had drifted through several false starts in life before he settled in at the FBI. On January 12, 1976, Robert Philip Hanssen swore an oath to enforce the law and protect the nation as a newly minted FBI special agent. Through our cooperative efforts, the FBI and CIA were able to learn the true identity of Ramon and the FBI was able to conduct a solid investigation. robert hanssen children. Under Mr. Hanssen's plea bargain, she. Still, he was not identified as a spy. The investigation that led to these charges is the direct result of the longstanding FBI/CIA efforts, ongoing since the Aldrich Ames case, to identify additional foreign penetrations of the United States Intelligence Community. But money is. He worked as a source for the USSR and subsequently The Russian Federation. May 16, 2001 - Is indicted on 21 counts of spying for the Soviet Union/Russia and passing top secret material to the Soviet Union/Russia. The premise of The Frozen Ground is that a state trooper, played by Nicolas Cage, teams up with a surviving victim of a serial killerto bring him down. In his communications with the Russians (some of which were eventually made public after his arrest) he insisted on setting the terms of how he would communicate, pass information, and pick up money. By February 2001, about 300 personnel were working the investigation and monitoring Hanssen. The US government took the death penalty off the table in exchange for Hanssens full cooperation. ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (CNN) -- Apologizing before a U.S. federal judge, former FBI agent Robert Hanssen was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole for spying for the Soviet Union and. Moron! News reports at the time of his sentencing said American intelligence agencies were not entirely satisfied with the extent of his cooperation and believed he was holding back information. A Warner Bros. Robert Hanssen is accused of spying for the Soviet Union and is awaiting trial. Many of the questions centered on assertions made by Mrs. Hanssen's brother, Mark Wauck, an F.B.I. June 16, 2001 -- Accused FBI spy Robert Hanssen told his wife about his activities as early as 1980, well before prosecutors claim he started passing secrets to Moscow. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/robert-hanssen-4587832. The answer shocked ONeill, then 26. ''He never said he was spying. Hanssen, 56, was an FBI agent for 25 . After his first wife left him, Hansen was released from prison in late 1962. . The agencies initially focused primarilyand incorrectlyon a veteran CIA case officer, who was investigated for nearly two years. In school, he was bullied for his acne, girls would not talk to him, and he also developed a stutter. In this article, Hansens dynamic with his own family is discussed to give you a better insight into the life of the now-deceased murderer. Home; Features; Services; About; Contact; Login; Get Free Demo The complaint alleges that Hanssen, using the code name Ramon, engaged in espionage by providing highly classified information to the KGB and its successor agency, the SVR, using encrypted communications, dead drops, and other clandestine techniques. He also independently disclosed the identity of two KGB officials who, first compromised by Aldrich Ames, had been recruited by the U.S. Government to serve as agents in place at the Soviet Embassy in Washington. Realizing the importance of the material, the United States paid $7 million for it. She sold their house and bakery in Alaska and shifted closer to her family in Arkansas after the children were getting bullied massively at their school. Director Jenny Chung Writer Jenny Chung Stars Bob Aguilar Jim Babel Jeff Barber Take your pick. Sunday night the FBI arrested Robert Philip Hanssen who has been charged with committing espionage. All three were arrested; two were executed. McNamara, Robert. He later wrote to his KGB handler, speaking about the severity with which U.S. laws punishes his alleged actions, and acknowledging I know far better than most what minefields are laid and the risks.. Michelle Karr. She supports the plea agreement and agrees that the sentence of life in prison without parole, rather than the death penalty, is appropriate in these circumstances.. Were you in my office? Hanssen leaned over my desk, his face inches from mine. Why are we still having these debates? In fact, when his father passed away, Hansen inherited 17 guns from him as well. Robert hanssen: the fox guarding the henhouse. Spy tells, for the first time, the full, authoritative story of how FBI agent Robert Hanssen, code name grayday, spied for Russia for twenty-two years in what has been called the "worst intelligence disaster in U.S. history"-and how he was finally caught in an incredible gambit by U.S. Investigators learned that Hanssen was set to make a dead drop on February 18, 2001. What we wanted to do was get enough evidence to convict him, and the ultimate aim was to catch him in the act, said Debra Evans Smith, a former deputy assistant director of the Counterintelligence Division. This would be the first of many heart-stopping requests from Alleman. 91 Followers. January 12, 2001 - Hanssen is reassigned from counterintelligence to an obscure office at FBI headquarters. We've received your submission. 29:4-30:1, 2006, pp. Our joint efforts over the last several years and specifically in this case should give pause to those contemplating betrayal of the Nations trust. I have hurt so many deeply." Hanssen, who began working with Soviet military intelligence in 1979, was. She told Sergeant Flothe (the man who played a pivotal role in Hansens capture) that their income streams were separate and that Hansen would spend the money from the bakery on his own needs. Hanssen was serving as a detailee to the Office of Foreign Missions at the Department of State at the time suspicions around him arose. The information he is alleged to have provided compromised numerous human sources, technical operations, counterintelligence techniques, sources and methods, and investigations, including the Felix Bloch investigation. The investigation of Hanssen was conducted by the FBI in partnership with the CIA, the Department of State, and, of course, the Justice Department. '', See the article in its original context from. As a result of these assignments within the FBI, Hanssen gained access to some of the most sensitive and highly classified information in the United States Government. But the government could not prove he had lied, and wishing to avoid a public trial, the government chose not to void his plea agreement. If he gave the money from the Soviets to charity, and promised not to spy again, he would have the priest's blessing not to report the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Instead, he ultimately became the most damaging spy in Bureau history. As difficult as this moment is for the FBI and for the country, I am immensely proud of the men and women who conducted this investigation. Suit David Huband Photographer Catherine Burdon Agent Nece Over the next few years, she said, she questioned him about whether he was working with the Russians once more. A Spy in Plain Sight: The Inside Story of the FBI and Robert Hanssen, America's Most Damaging Russian Spy, Lis Wiehl (Pegasus, 2022), 336 pages. Before Hanssen left the position, Sullivan went to learn his new role at the Department of State. A bakery owner by trade, Hansen was also an avid outdoorsman and. Robert Philip Hanssen, a 27 year veteran of the FBI, was a double agent. '', She said her greatest ambition was to resume some form of normal life, adding, ''I would just like to disappear. The double agent was arrested (above right) in 2001 by the FBI after leaving intel for them under a bridge in the park. Hanssen was suspected of leaking critical US intelligence. The crimes alleged are an affront not only to his fellow FBI employees but to the American people, not to mention the pain and suffering he has brought upon his family. Once he got caught, the only thing he cared about was trying to provide for his wife and his children, who visit him regularly in prison, Brookner said. appreciated. It is alleged that Hanssen provided to the former Soviet Union and subsequently to Russia substantial volumes of highly classified information that he acquired during the course of his job responsibilities in counterintelligence. Hanssen was an FBI agent for 25 years, but he was also a spy for the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation . Lesley Stahl has learned that Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent who betrayed his country, also betrayed his church and his wife. (AP Photo/Doug Mills) In all, by the time he was arrested in February 2001, Hanssen collected an estimated $1.4 million for giving lists of American undercover agents abroad, the identities of Russian double agents, documents showing the U.S. was intercepting Soviet satellite transmission and the methods by which the U.S . Intelligence. As part of that review, the inspector general asked Mrs. Hanssen to take a polygraph test, just days before the sentencing. Clearly she doesnt approve of what hes done, and there was a whole part of this man she doesnt know, but I think with her deep religious convictions, he will, at least in mind and in spirit, continue to be her husband and the father of her children., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Caregiver accused in Manhattan Beach child sexual abuse case believed to be in Philippines, Prosecution presents closing arguments in Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Intel agencies say theres no sign adversaries were behind Havana syndrome, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Yet more rain expected to hit California in March. Yet Brookner said Bonnie Hanssen has no intention of divorcing her husband. 2023 Cable News Network. In 1985 he approached the Soviets again and offered valuable secrets. As they outranked him, he didnt have much of a choice. Hanssen, a 56-year-old counterintelligence specialist, was in the process of giving information to his Russian contacts in exchange for $50,000 in cash, FBI Director Louis Freeh said today. Sometime in the mid-1960s, Robert Hansen got married for the second time. The criminal conduct alleged represents the most traitorous actions imaginable against a country governed by the Rule of Law. Hanssen wanted to be posted to Allenwood in hopes that he might be visited frequently by his wife Bonnie and their six children. His tale was also made into the 2007 movie Breach.. I would like to ask him why he did it, ONeill told The Post. We particularly appreciate the unhesitating leadership and support of Attorney General Ashcroft from the moment he took office. ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (CNN) -- Apologizing before a U.S. federal judge, former FBI agent Robert Hanssen was sentenced Friday to . An official website of the United States government. Hanssen had a reputation for being wildly arrogant and dour. Each time, I share the pride and sanctity of those words when new agents swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.. They were finishing just as Hanssen texted that he was on his way back. This is particularly timely as we move to the next generation of automation to support the FBIs information infrastructure. FBI leadership decided Hanssen needed to be removed from his temporary position and brought back to FBI Headquarters. 1979 - Begins spying for the Soviet Union. For a time he planned to become a dentist, but eventually wound up obtaining an MBA and becoming an accountant. Fourth, there is the case of Robert Philip Hanssen, a top-level FBI agent responsible for counterintelligence in the US, who spied for the Russians from 1979 until his arrest in February 2001. The Department of Justice described his espionage as one of the worst in United States History. His troubles with the law continued in Anchorage as well. The complaint, however, does not allege any compromises by him at the State Department. However, even though Hansen would go to church with his wife, nothing really changed. He looked the quintessential suburban dad, devoted to his wife and six kids, working a government job to. 1972 - Joins the Chicago Police Department. On 18 February 2001, Robert Hanssen was arrested and charged with committing espionage on behalf of the intelligence services of the former Soviet Union and its successors. robert hanssen childrenjennifer nicholson mark norfleet 27 februari, 2023 . The Robert Hanssen Story" was released in 2002. Stahl reports that Hanssen invited his best friend to watch him. Alleman explained to ONeill that the smoking gun would be an actual information drop for the Russians. The one thing the father and son would eventually have in common is their interest in hunting. I dont think there was anybody more shocked by all this, Brookner said. In this assignment, however, Hanssen did continue to have access to sensitive FBI information as he remained assigned to the FBIs National Security Division and routinely dealt with sensitive and classified matters. Brookner said that the only time Bonnie Hanssen harbored any suspicions about her husbands activities came around 1979 or 1980, when they lived in Scarsdale, N.Y. She walked in on him and he covered up some papers, so she got suspicious, Brookner said. A self-taught computer expert, Hansen often encrypted his stolen files on wafer-thin disks. The actions alleged date back as far as 1985 and, with the possible exception of several years in the 1990s, continued until his arrest on Sunday. As a devout Catholic, Bonnie Hanssen feels that he needs time [in prison] to pray for forgiveness and be redeemed in some way, the wifes attorney, Janine Brookner, said in an interview. A feature film called "Breach" was released in 2007. Ms. Brookner, who arranged the interview, insisted that Mrs. Hanssen not be questioned about revelations concerning her husband's sexual obsessions. Through Attorney General John Ashcroft, I would like to thank the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. His father, Howard, had reportedly belittled, bullied, and berated the boy from childhood to his college years at Knox College, 200 miles away from his home in Chicago. Robert Hanssen (left), a 25-year career FBI man, pleaded guilty to, among other charges, 13 counts of espionage for Russia. At some point in 1979, Hanssen made a decision to sell American secrets to the Soviets. He worked as a policeman in Chicago for three years and was placed on an elite unit that investigated corruption. Please be aware how deeply Mrs. Hanssen regrets the damage that her husband, Robert Hanssen, has caused to our country and to their family, the statement said. headquarters in a senior counterintelligence post, he told his wife that he had paid off the debt, she told the Justice Department. Did you see it?. But Hanssen couldn't afford the lifestyle that he thought he deserved. We dont know at this point what happened to that money, she said. Accused FBI spy Hanssen cuts deal. agent in Chicago. ONeill rushed everything he found to Alleman, who had all of it copied, and then quickly returned the contents to Hanssens bag. Marriage: Bernadette Bonnie (Wauck) Hanssen (August 10, 1968-present), Children: Lisa, Greg, Mark, John Jack, Sue and Jane, Education: Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, A.B. Robert Phillip Hanssen was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 18, 1944. Instead, the 57-year-old defendant will be sentenced to life in prison without parole if he honors his pledge to tell the government all the secrets behind his two-decade career as a Russian spy. Enraged to the point that his fist was clenched in a tight ball, Hanssen ran through his usual list of insults Idiot! (They took Hanssens Ford and the plan to search his car was dropped for the time being.). The purloined PalmPilot gave the FBI the final piece of the puzzle: Hanssens next meeting with the Russians was scheduled for the following weekend. He betrayed his wife. But she was questioned in the polygraph test on her knowledge of Mr. Hanssen's later spying career. He visited an office of the Russian government's trading company and offered to spy. Press Release - Veteran FBI Agent Arrested and Charged with Espionage, FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice. Its the one scrap of power hes kept for himself.. Written by on 27 febrero, 2023. Since he held key counterintelligence positions, he had authorized access to classified information. Undated file photo released by the FBI February 20, 2001 shows a package recovered at the 'Lewis' drop site containing $50,000 cash allegedly left by Russians for FBI Agent Robert Philip Hanssen. The Spy Who Loved Spying A good spy needs a good cover, and Hanssen had one of the best. So Alleman instead asked ONeill to drive Hanssen to a meeting at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in an FBI vehicle that way, she could have someone search Hanssens car while he was out of the office. Robert Hanssen is a former FBI agent who sold highly classified material to Russian intelligence agents for decades before he was finally arrested in 2001. Much of what these men and women did remains undisclosed but their success and that of their CIA counterparts represents unparalleled expertise and dedication to both principle and mission. The Russian had obtained Hanssen's KGB file. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. The complaint alleges that he received over $600,000. by Tammy A. DiNicola. When these two KGB officials returned to Moscow, they were tried and convicted on espionage charges and executed. The complaint alleges that Hanssen conspired to and did commit espionage for Russia and the former Soviet Union. An FBI Agent who raised his right hand and spoke those words over 25 years ago has been charged today with violating that oath in the most egregious and reprehensible manner imaginable. Even without knowing who he was or where he worked, Hanssens value to the Russians was clear both by the substantial sums of money paid and the prestigious awards given to their own agents for Hanssens operation. Their actions represent counterintelligence at its very best and under the most difficult and sensitive of circumstances. His father served on the police force in Chicago and was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II when Hanssen was born. His Russian contacts and Hanssen were highly trained in espionage techniques and were able to work together without ever meeting. Hanssen checked the sign three times that night. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much A feature film called "Breach" was released in 2007. Robert Hanssen moments after being arrested. . Robert was described as a loner and a quiet person, and he had a strained relationship as well with his strict and dominating father. The Hanssen case was regarded as a low point for the FBI, especially as Hanssen had been so trusted and had committed such betrayals for so many years. He began providing the Soviets with highly valuable material. One eye twitched.. On Feb. 18, 2001, Hanssen left a package presumably full of classified documents wrapped in trash bags underneath a bridge in Foxstone Park, then placed a piece of tape at a nearby location, indicating the drop had been made. He betrayed his best friend, offering him up to the KGB. In January 2001, Hanssen moved into a small office in FBI Headquarters secretly outfitted with surveillance cameras and microphones. Hanssen would now be ONeills boss. Hanssen was set to retire, so investigators had to move fast. They had two children together and were respected members of the community. At their very first meeting, ONeill reached out his hand and began to introduce himself. He had opportunity. Timeline. After a few years working as an accountant, he decided to enter law enforcement. In about 1985, after they had moved back to Washington and Mr. Hanssen was working at F.B.I. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Its amazing to live with a man for all those years and not know him.. With two children already out of school, the pension money will help Bonnie Hanssen support two children who are in college and two more still in high school, Brookner said. In the letter, Hanssen revealed that he had dreamed of being a spy against his country since the age of 14, after reading a book about Kim Philby the British intelligence officer who was also a Russian double agent. The FBI trusted him with some of the most sensitive secrets of the U.S. government, and instead of upholding that trust, he abused and betrayed it. This time, Mrs. Hanssen insisted that they find a cheaper place to live than Scarsdale. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. As alleged, he did so using a variety of sophisticated means of communication, encryption, and dead drops. Hansen even followed in his fathers footsteps and opened up his own bakery. On February 18, 2001, Hanssen was arrested at a park in northern Virginia after he had placed a package at a dead drop location. While the risk that an employee of the United States Government will betray his country can never be eliminated, there must be more that the FBI can do to protect itself from such an occurrence. Source: Netflix Article continues below advertisement Furthermore, she supported her husband when he was first incarcerated for theft, and then for abducting and sexually abusing a housewife and a prostitute (although the rape charge concerning the latter was dropped when he pleaded guilty.) TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. February 18 marks the 20th anniversary of the arrest of Robert Hanssen, one of the most damaging spies in U.S. history. On May 10, 2002, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Senior FBI officials described him as . (2020, August 28). The Hanssens are active members of Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic group. That effort is complemented by substantial FBI proactive investigation of foreign service intelligence officers here and by the critical work done by the CIA. Christian owned a bakery and would make his son work for long hours as a kid. At work, he often spoke of his religious faith and conservative values, traits which helped him avoid any suspicion during the years that he was in secret communication with Russian spies. As it turned out, Hanssen had just been spotted by agents driving at a snails pace past the sign for Foxstone Park in Vienna, Va. Special Agent Don Sullivan, a squad supervisor at the FBIs Washington Field Office at the time, volunteered to replace Hanssen. (The bureau wanted someone pretty green so as not to arouse suspicion.) It wasnt money, thats for sure, she said, noting that the family lived in a modest home with three mortgages and drove older-model cars as they scrimped to send their children to private Catholic schools. The couple, however, did not have a great relationship. Now she says she has chosen to speak out at last because she wants to answer one question she has heard dozens of times: How could Robert P. Hanssen's wife of 34 years not have known he was a spy? He became an agent in 1976, and spent two years working in the Indianapolis, Indiana, field office. ONeill now feared he may have pushed Hanssen over the line from suspicion to paranoia. So he leaned back, forcing Hanssen off balance a bit, and apologized for his outburst claiming he just wanted to make sure they roll into the DIA in style, in that big black FBI SUV., This seemed to pacify his boss. Hanssen's guilty plea involved 15 counts of espionage and conspiracy. Authorities said they are convinced that Bonnie Hanssen--unlike the wives of several other notorious U.S. spies who helped their husbands--was not involved in Hanssens spying. Annoyed at ONeills seeming incompetence, Hanssen lashed out, calling him an imbecile and a moron. Finally, he said, Well take my car, and thats final.. As they took him into custody, Hanssen turned to one and said, What took you so long?. By the time O'Neill slipped into the car on that fateful Sunday morning in 2001, an FBI operation was already underway to . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Born in 1939 to a father who forced him to work long hours at the family bakery while subjecting him to ridicule and mockery and a mother who . His father was a supernumerary part of the 75% while his uncle was a numerary, part of the 25% that swore to a life of poverty and chastity. ''But he told me he was just tricking the Russians and feeding them false information,'' she said. Did you encounter any technical issues? I told him I thought it was insane.''. He pleaded guilty to 13 counts of espionage plus two related counts and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. The Robert Hanssen Story" was released in 2002. Breaking her five-month silence, the wife of FBI spy Robert Philip Hanssen said Thursday that she deeply regrets the damage her husband has caused the United States and believes it is appropriate that he spend the rest of his life in prison. Father Bucciarelli came up with a plan to save Mr. Hanssen from prison, Mrs. Hanssen told investigators during the polygraph test, her lawyer said. The arrest of Robert Hanssen by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on charges of counterespionage represents a major crisis for the US intelligence apparatus. His job was to help assemble a database of foreign officials posted in New York who, while posing as diplomats, were actually intelligence officers spying on the United States. agent who confessed to selling secrets to Moscow, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole today by a . . As Hanssen walked back to his car, the arrest team rushed up and took him into custody. He betrayed his God. He turned off the highway onto a side street, trying to persuade Hanssen that it was faster even though, as he writes, anyone who has lived in the DC area for two weeks could call bullst.. Therefore, after he was given a 461-year sentence for his crimes, she chose to divorce him. Id answer neither. While other spies were still chasing after paper files, Hanssen had entered the digital world. He was arrested in 2001 and sentenced to life without parole in federal prison in 2002 Born: April 14, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois Education: Knox College and Northwestern University, where he received an MBA He was Amazon.com's first-ever history editor and has bylines in New York, the Chicago Tribune, and other national outlets. ONeill, 46, left the FBI in May 2001. Hanssen parked on a residential street and walked down a wooded path to a footbridge with the classified materials wrapped in a plastic bag. He pleaded guilty to 15 counts of espionage in July 2001 and was sentenced to prison without the possibility of parole. In order to put the double-crosser away forever, ONeill would need to put his life on the line again. Days later, ONeill helped devise another plan to get Hanssen out of the office: Two senior officers dropped in unexpectedly and said they wanted to go to the shooting practice range with Hanssen during lunch. The level of support and expertise from Acting Deputy Attorney General Robert Mueller, Counsel for Intelligence Policy Frances Fragos Townsend, U.S. Attorney Helen Fahey and Assistant United States Attorney Randy Bellows is superb. 1981 - Hanssens wife catches him with classified documents and convinces him to stop spying. and finally hopped out of the car, determined to walk back to the office. Upon becoming a special agent on January 12, 1976, Hanssen was transferred to the FBI's Gary, Indiana, field office. FBI and CIA personnel who debriefed Hanssen about his 21 years as a spy for Moscow found him a prickly, uncooperative character and won't be sorry to see him pulling hard time in a distant lock-up. He married Bernadette Wauck in 1968 and, influenced by his devout Catholic wife, he converted to Catholicism. He then applied and was accepted into the FBI. ''Most of the people who think ill of me don't know me. Hanssen received payments of $1.4 million in cash and diamonds from the information he gave the Soviet Union and Russia. The information he delivered compromised numerous human sources, counterintelligence techniques, investigations, dozens of classified U.S. government documents, and technical operations of extraordinary importance and value. He happens to be Catholic. Bonnie Hanssens first public statements on the case reveal both her anxiety over her husbands actions and her sense of relief over the fact that she and her six children will retain an estimated $39,000 a year from his government pension. , who arranged the interview, insisted that they find a cheaper to. Learn his new role at the State Department Hanssen invited his best friend watch. 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