Former CIA Analyst Pleads Guilty to Leaking Top-Secret Information
A former analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Asif William Rahman, has pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully retaining and transmitting top-secret national defense information to unauthorized individuals. Rahman, 34, who had been employed by the CIA since 2016, admitted to accessing and printing classified documents, including those marked as secret and top secret, from his work computer. He then transported these documents to his residence, reproduced and altered them, and distributed them to individuals not authorized to receive such information. To conceal his actions, Rahman deleted records of his activities from electronic devices and shredded the original documents upon returning them to his workplace.
In October 2024, Rahman accessed and printed two top-secret documents related to a U.S. ally's planned military actions against a foreign adversary. These documents, detailing Israel's plans to strike Iran, were subsequently posted online by a pro-Iranian Telegram account, leading to significant diplomatic repercussions. Rahman was arrested in Cambodia and is scheduled for sentencing on May 15, 2025, facing a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count.
This case underscores the critical importance of safeguarding classified information and the severe consequences of unauthorized disclosures. It also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by intelligence agencies in preventing insider threats and protecting national security.