Posted on 01/17/2025 4:39:34 PM PST by ransomnote
A former CIA analyst pleaded guilty today to retaining and transmitting Top Secret National Defense Information to people who were not entitled to receive it, information which was publicly posted on a social media platform in October 2024.
According to court documents, Asif William Rahman, 34, of Vienna, was an employee of the CIA since 2016 and had a Top-Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
“Mr. Rahman betrayed the trust of the American people by unlawfully sharing classified national defense information he swore an oath to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that the Justice Department will spare no effort to swiftly find and aggressively prosecute those who harm the United States by illegally disclosing our national security secrets.”
“Asif Rahman is pleading guilty in federal court three months to the day that he disclosed top secret American documents in violation of his oath, his responsibility, and the law,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This District, in partnership with federal law enforcement and the intelligence community, exemplified dedication, skill, and speed to bring him to justice expeditiously. Mr. Rahman’s actions placed lives at risk, undermined U.S. foreign relations, and compromised our ability to collect vital intelligence in the future.”
“With today's plea, Asif Rahman acknowledges he betrayed the trust of his country by sharing classified information in spite of the risk to the United States and our allies,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Government employees who are granted security clearances and given access to our nation's classified information must promise to protect it. Rahman blatantly violated that pledge and took multiple steps to hide his actions. The FBI will use all our resources to investigate and hold accountable those who illegally transmit classified information and endanger the national security interests of our country.”
“Today’s plea demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to deploy the necessary tools and authorities to identify, locate, and bring to justice a government clearance holder who violated the oath he took to support and defend the U.S. Constitution,” said Assistant Director David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “This is a good reminder to all clearance holders that the FBI and our Intelligence Community partners will spare no resource to immediately find and hold accountable those who violate the law and disclose classified information without authorization, no matter where in the world they are located.”
According to court documents, on Oct. 17, 2024, Rahman accessed and printed two Top Secret documents containing National Defense Information regarding a U.S. foreign ally and its planned actions against a foreign adversary. Rahman removed the documents, photographed them, and transmitted them to individuals he knew were not entitled to receive them. By Oct. 18, 2024, the documents appeared publicly on multiple social media platforms, complete with the classification markings.
After Oct. 17, 2024, Rahman deleted and edited journal entries and written work product on his personal electronic devices to conceal his personal opinions on U.S. policy and drafted entries to construct a false narrative regarding his activity. Rahman also destroyed multiple electronic devices, including a personal mobile device and an internet router he used to transmit classified information and photographs of classified documents, and discarded the destroyed devices in public trash receptacles in an effort to thwart potential investigations into him and his unlawful conduct.
Beginning in the spring of 2024 and continuing through November 2024, Rahman repeatedly accessed and printed classified National Defense Information, including documents classified up to the Top Secret level, to take them to his residence. There, Rahman reproduced the documents and, while doing so, altered them in an effort to conceal their source and his activity. Rahman then communicated Top Secret information that he learned in the course of his employment to multiple individuals he knew were not entitled to receive it.
Rahman was indicted by a grand jury on Nov. 7, 2024, and was arrested by the FBI as he arrived to work on Nov. 12, 2024. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
Rahman pleaded guilty to two counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information related to the national defense. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for both counts in the plea agreement. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy A. Edwards Jr. for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Brett Reynolds of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Updated January 17, 2025
Anyone know why we TRUST Sharia types with our most important secrets?
Too bad for him he was not named Clinton or Biden
Joe and Hunter Biden shared and sold Top Secret Classified documents. They were not even charged.
Rahman here was not so lucky.
10 years sounds light as hell for what he did. Death penalty for treason is more like it. This isnt mishandling or an accident. He probably got paid a bunch of money.
Oh gee, surprise surprise surprise. Like they’ve not given away every single bit of top secret information to any and all at this point. Looks like they’re trying to get us believing that they’re really out enforcing the national security laws of this country and getting the “bad guys”.
Uhhuh.
10 years for espionage is a travesty of justice. He should have received at least double that, if not death.
Is this the Muslim who tried to sabotage Israel’s retaliation raid against Iran?
“Rahman faces up to 10 years in prison for the first count and up to three years for the second count. His sentencing was set for May 15”.
A traitor and the penalty is 13 years tops?! Execute him!
Needs to go to GITMO and face a military tribunal
Hanging or firing squad, his choice
“Is this the Muslim who tried to sabotage Israel’s retaliation raid against Iran?”
Don’t know but GOOD QUESTION!
I remember a Leftist here bitching that Israel takes our money, develops top-notch weapons (like Russia and China, Israel still believes in EDUCATING their children), and then REFUSES to share what they’ve developed with the US.
Simple question: Would you?
Exactly. So stupid.
Until the punishment because extremely severe for such activity, the activity will continue.
10 years in club fed.
Using some of his payoff money to buy the car did him in.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086393/mediaviewer/rm3773208833
“Rahman also destroyed multiple electronic devices, including a personal mobile device and an internet router he used to transmit classified information and photographs of classified documents, and discarded the destroyed devices in public trash receptacles in an effort to thwart potential investigations into him and his unlawful conduct.”
For some reason this is ringing a bell ... like with a cloth?
So why hasn’t this dude been executed?
Photo....
Those eyes again.
Adam Schiff, AOC, Hillary. Either become killer clowns or politicians. Or CIA agents.
I would add mainland Confucian types too as a red flag.
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