Robert Hanssen, a 79-year-old former FBI agent who infamously confessed to spying for Moscow, has been discovered deceased in a maximum-security facility in Florence, Colorado. He was found unresponsive on Monday morning. Hanssen, who was sentenced to life in prison for espionage in 2002, had admitted to receiving over $1.4 million in cash, diamonds, and funds deposited into Russian accounts.
During his espionage activities, Hanssen resided in a modest four-bedroom house in suburban Virginia with his wife and six children. He had joined the FBI on January 12, 1976, and later became known as the most destructive spy in the bureau’s history due to the extent of the damage he caused.
As a result of his position in counterintelligence, Hanssen had access to classified information and began his criminal activities in 1985 by transmitting sensitive data to Russia and the former Soviet Union. He used the alias “Ramon Garcia” when communicating with his handlers.
The FBI reports that Hanssen’s actions resulted in the compromise of multiple human sources, counterintelligence techniques, ongoing investigations, and a significant number of highly classified documents belonging to the US government. His actions also impacted valuable technical operations of great significance. Despite occasional suspicions surrounding his unusual behavior, he managed to evade capture for several years.
It was after the arrest of fellow spy Aldrich Hazen Ames by the FBI in 1994 that authorities realized classified information was still being leaked. This realization triggered an investigation into Hanssen. Aware that Hanssen was close to retirement, the FBI swiftly took action, aiming to catch him “red-handed” in the act of espionage.
Debra Evans Smith, former deputy assistant director of the Counterintelligence Division, explained that the primary objective was to gather enough evidence for a conviction while ultimately apprehending him during his illicit activities. Hanssen’s death in prison marks the end of a notorious chapter in espionage history, leaving lingering questions and a legacy of betrayal.