After his retirement, the 63-year-old worked as a civilian employee at the US Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base (Nebraska), the Ministry of Justice announced on Monday (local time). He had clearance for highly classified documents and took part in confidential discussions about Russia’s war against Ukraine.
While online dating on a foreign platform, the former lieutenant colonel came into contact with an unnamed person who introduced herself as a woman living in Ukraine. The 63-year-old spoke to her via email and on a chat platform about the war in Ukraine and passed on sensitive information about military targets, according to media reports.
Secret plans spilled
“Dear Dave, do NATO and (US President Joe) Biden have a secret plan to help us?” the person asked the ex-officer in an exchange, as reported by CBS News and Fox News, among others. The person addressed the 63-year-old as “my secret agent.” “My sweet Dave, thank you for the valuable information (…),” it says elsewhere.
The ex-officer was arrested on Saturday and charged with passing on classified information to the detriment of US security, the Justice Department said. If convicted, he faced up to ten years in prison and a fine of at least $250,000 (around 230,000 euros).
