CIA defector Aldrich Ames, who exposed Western intelligence assets to the Soviet Union and Russia, causing one of the most significant intelligence breaches in U.S. history, has passed away in a Cumberland, Md., prison at the age of 84. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed his death on Monday without disclosing the cause.
Ames, a long-serving CIA member, confessed to receiving $2.5 million US from Moscow in exchange for American secrets from 1985 until his arrest in 1994. His disclosures included revealing the identities of 10 Russian officials and one eastern European individual who were working as spies for the United States or the United Kingdom, as well as details on spy satellite operations, eavesdropping, and general espionage protocols. The repercussions of his actions led to the executions of Western agents operating behind the Iron Curtain and dealt a significant blow to the Central Intelligence Agency.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tim Weiner, who extensively covered the Ames case and interviewed the disgraced spy in prison, stated, “He dismantled the network of Russian agents working for the U.S. that had been established over two decades.” Ames pleaded guilty to charges of espionage and tax evasion, receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for depriving the U.S. of crucial intelligence information for an extended period.
Ames’s wife, Rosario, also admitted to assisting his spying activities and pleaded guilty to lesser espionage charges, resulting in a 63-month prison sentence. Ames expressed deep regret and guilt for his actions, attributing his betrayal to financial difficulties. Despite downplaying the extent of the harm caused, Ames acknowledged the profound consequences of his espionage activities.
In a jailhouse interview with the Washington Post before his sentencing, Ames admitted that financial pressures were his primary motivation for spying. Weiner highlighted that Ames’s actions were primarily driven by monetary gains and that he understood the gravity of his actions when he was apprehended. Ames, who once lived a lavish lifestyle, spent his final years behind bars, reflecting on the consequences of his choices.
Ames began his espionage activities while working in the Soviet/Eastern European division at the CIA’s Langley headquarters before furthering his collaboration with the KGB while stationed in Rome and upon returning to Washington. This period coincided with FBI agent Robert Hanssen’s espionage, who was later apprehended in 2001 for selling secrets to Moscow. Hanssen passed away in prison in 2023.
