Robert Hanssen the Worst U.S. Security Breach of the 20th Century
Robert Hanssen is considered one of the most damaging double agents in U.S. history. While working for the F.B.I. he contacted the Russians several times willing to sell state secrets. He is believed to have earned over $1.4 million in cash and diamonds during his 22 years of contact with the Soviets. Despite being reported numerous times as a possible double agent, Hanssen was never investigated until the F.B.I. obtained proof of his deception.
Robert Hanssen worked for the Soviets during three separate periods. He started in 1976 when he contacted them about selling secrets. He informed the Soviets of American spies as well as FBI tapping and surveillance. He stopped in 1981 but then contacted the Russians again in 1985 asking for $100,000 to continue his espionage. Robert Hanssen was very deliberate in his spying, choosing all of his dead drop points and never letting the Russians know his true name. He operated under the code-name Ramon Garcia.
From 1986 to 1991 Hanssen continued to provide the Russians with lists of American double agents. He also told the Russians about a tunnel that the Americans built under the Russian embassy in order to be able to spy on them. In 1992 Hanssen started to take more risks in getting information to the Russians while trying to avoid suspicion within the FBI. However, throughout his career others had reported suspicions of Hansson but the FBI never investigated.
Unable to find the mole on their own the FBI finally caught Hansson when they paid a former Russian KGB agent $7 million to obtain the information. The agent turned over a file that implicated Hansson to the CIA and FBI. They monitored him and were finally able to catch him during a dead drop in 2001. His was convicted of 13 counts of espionage and is currently serving 13 life sentences.