DIA specialist Nathan Laatsch arrested for attempting to deliver classified U.S. intelligence to foreign agent.

Virginia Employee Accused of Leaking Secrets

Nathan Laatsch, a 28-year-old IT specialist with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), was arrested on Thursday in Virginia for allegedly attempting to transmit classified government information to a foreign power. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest following an FBI investigation launched after a March 2025 tip.

Laatsch, who worked in the DIA’s Insider Threat Division and held a top-secret clearance, reportedly expressed political opposition to the Trump administration in an email to the FBI. The message stated he was willing to provide sensitive materials such as completed intelligence products and raw data to a friendly foreign government.

The FBI initiated a covert operation with an agent posing as a foreign official. Over multiple exchanges, Laatsch confirmed his readiness to share classified material. He allegedly transcribed the information by hand onto notepads and smuggled it out of his secure workplace over a span of three days.

On or around May 1, Laatsch was observed placing a thumb drive at a park in northern Virginia, intending it for foreign retrieval. The FBI recovered the device, which contained a message from Laatsch and multiple documents labeled Secret or Top Secret. He described the contents as a "decent sample size" to showcase what he could access.

After learning the thumb drive had been retrieved, Laatsch contacted the undercover agent again on May 7, seeking compensation. He expressed interest in obtaining citizenship in the foreign country, citing a bleak outlook for America’s future. He clarified he wasn’t looking for money but would not object to other forms of reward.

According to the DOJ, the undercover agent told Laatsch on May 14 that the foreign government was ready for more information. Between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch resumed extracting data, concealing handwritten notes in his clothing as he left the DIA facility.

On May 30, Laatsch appeared at a second prearranged drop site to deliver additional classified material. FBI agents arrested him at the scene after collecting the documents.

The DOJ emphasized that unauthorized disclosure of classified information poses a grave threat to national security. Legal proceedings against Laatsch are underway in federal court. Officials noted that the arrest reflects the Trump administration’s strong stance on protecting government secrets and prosecuting internal threats.