US Intelligence Employee Pleads Guilty to Selling State Secrets to Foreign Agents
DIA worker caught in FBI sting operation admitted to leaking classified documents to a foreign government.
1Intelligence Leak Attempt
Former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) employee Nathan Vilas Laatsch was caught in an FBI sting operation in 2025 while attempting to leak classified information to a foreign government. Laatsch, who had worked at DIA since 2019, held top-secret clearance. In March 2025, he offered to transmit classified information to a foreign government. The FBI immediately detected this offer and launched a deception operation.
2FBI's Deception Operation
Laatsch sent an email from a newly created account with the subject line 'Outreach from USA Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Officer.' The email described his role at DIA and the services he was willing to provide. After intercepting this email, the FBI initiated an undercover operation to make Laatsch believe he was communicating with a real spy. Laatsch began accessing classified information in April 2025.
3Physical Transfer of Secrets
In April 2025, Laatsch entered his office and began accessing classified information within 20 minutes. According to prosecutors, he spent most of the workday writing classified information by hand in a physical notebook. He hid the notebook when coworkers walked by. He removed pages from the notebook, folded them into squares, and placed them in his socks before leaving the office.
4Electronic File Transfer
The FBI arranged a second intelligence transfer in May 2025. Laatsch was instructed to go to a specific picnic table in an Arlington, Virginia park and electronically transfer files from his personal computer. While sitting at the picnic table, Laatsch transferred files to an FBI-controlled address and was arrested on the spot.
5Sensitivity of Transmitted Information
The files Laatsch transmitted included sensitive intelligence collection methods, intelligence related to foreign military exercises, and analysis of the impact of those exercises. Eight of these files were classified as 'top-secret' and contained sensitive compartmented information. Laatsch admitted he selected these files on his own without any instructions from the FBI.
6Laatsch's Motivation
In messages to the foreign government, Laatsch stated he had become disenfranchised with the current administration and requested citizenship from that government. He also expressed that he was 'not opposed to other compensation' but did not need material rewards. Laatsch added that he hoped the initial files would serve as proof of the type of information he could access.
7DIA's Insider Threat Division
Laatsch was assigned to DIA's 'Insider Threat Division' in spring 2025. This unit focused on identifying government workers likely to leak or already leaking classified information to foreign powers. Ironically, Laatsch's duties included 'monitoring user activity of individuals with access to DIA systems' and 'assisting external partners like law enforcement with insider threat tools.'
8Operation Outcomes
After his arrest, Laatsch waived his right to an attorney and pleaded guilty. The FBI's operation served as a successful example of preventing state secrets from being leaked to foreign agents. This incident highlighted the need for intelligence agencies to reassess internal security protocols and employee motivations. Laatsch's case became a significant national security trial.