(DOJ) Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 29, of Alexandria, a former IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), pled guilty yesterday to transmission of national defense information.
“U.S. government employees entrusted with our nation’s secrets must always protect our nation’s security, not cavalierly toss aside this responsibility out of disagreement, selfishness or greed. Laatsch faces serious consequences for violating his position of trust. This case shows that if you unlawfully disclose national defense information, we will find you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent the law allows.”—Attorney General Todd Blanche
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“Political disagreement is not a justification for jeopardizing the security of the United States and the lives of those who protect it.No one is entitled to break the law or violate the public trust, no matter their motivations, and this office will aggressively prosecute those who recklessly and illegally compromise national security.” —First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia
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“Laatsch’s animus toward the U.S. government gave him no license to betray the oath he took to the Constitution of the United States nor the duty he had to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our Nation. Unlawfully disclosing national defense information to a foreign government is a serious crime, not a form of principled dissent.” —Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg
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“By his own admission, Laatsch betrayed his oath by offering classified information to a foreign government, the very thing he was supposed to prevent as an employee of DIA’s Insider Threat Division. Those entrusted with our nation’s most sensitive information must not exploit their access for personal gain – in this case offering to sell American secrets to buy foreign citizenship. The FBI and our partners will continue to hold accountable all those who betray the trust of the American people.” —Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division
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“As an employee of the DIA Insider Threat Office, the American people relied on Nathan Laatsch to detect spies and other insider threats within our midst. Laatsch betrayed that trust and instead became the very threat he was sworn to defend against. Fortunately, the swift action of the FBI and our partner agencies prevented even greater harm and brought him to justice. This case underscores a fundamental truth: The strength of our national security depends not only on our capabilities, but also on the integrity of those entrusted to safeguard it. When that trust is violated, the consequences can be profound.” —Darren B. Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he worked with the Insider Threat Division and held a Top Secret security clearance.
In March 2025, the FBI learned that Laatsch offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Soon thereafter, Laatsch began communicating with an individual he thought was affiliated with that foreign government but was actually an FBI agent.
In late April 2025, Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly took the information from his workspace.
After those three days, Laatsch deposited the classified information on a thumb drive at a public park in northern Virginia for the foreign government to retrieve.
The FBI retrieved the drive, which contained multiple typed documents, each containing information up to the Secret or Top Secret level.
It also contained a message from Laatsch, in which he indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the drive had been received, Laatsch communicated that he was interested in “citizenship” to the foreign country.
Laatsch also stated that, though he was “not opposed to other compensation,” from a financial standpoint, he did not need “material compensation.”
A week later, in mid-May 2025, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that the agent was prepared to receive additional classified information.
Between May 15 and May 27, 2025, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation and took the classified information away from his workstation hidden in his clothing.
On May 29, 2025, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where he again transmitted multiple classified documents.
Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Laatsch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027. He faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Global Counterespionage Unit and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorney Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-156.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. NATHAN VILAS LAATSCH
AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AND ARREST WARRANT (pdf)
See previous:
U.S. Government Employee Arrested for Attempting to Provide Classified Information to Foreign Government
Disillusioned defense intelligence analyst waives speedy trial in espionage case (Courthouse News, 11 June 2025)
A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency analyst who hid top secret documents in his socks after becoming disillusioned with the Trump administration waived his right to a speedy trial Wednesday in a felony espionage case.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch of Alexandria declined to speak at a hearing regarding charges of attempting to transmit national defense information. A written brief filed later shows a plea of not guilty.
The former DIA analyst once worked in its Insider Threat Division, where he had access to multiple classified databases. Laatsch, who graduated with a cybersecurity degree from Florida Polytechnic University in 2018, held a top secret security clearance at the time of the alleged offense. . . .
. . . . The FBI launched an investigation after receiving an email in which Laatsch offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government, identified in court filings as “Country 1.”
Under a subject line that read: “Outreach from USA Defense Intelligence Agency Officer,” the sender wrote of his willingness to supply classified information, according to an affidavit by FBI agent Matthew T. Johnson.
“I am an officer of the Defense Intelligence Agency serving in a technical role in support of our internal Office of Security (SEC). The recent actions of the current administration are extremely disturbing to me,” the email read. “I do not agree or align with the values of this administration and intend to act to support the values that the United States at one time stood for. To this end, I am willing to share classified information that I have access to, which are completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.”
The sender attempted to verify his position by including pictures of government identification badges used to gain workplace entry. These “appear to be badges commonly possessed by employees in the U.S. government and/or the U.S. intelligence community,” the FBI agent wrote. The agency was able to determine that the ID belonged to Laatsch.
As the investigation progressed, the FBI agent, posing as a foreign government official, arranged dead drops at a public park in suburban North Virginia. When asked for a sample of information, Laatsch responded that he would do so.
The day after, Laatsch began reviewing and accessing classified information “approximately twenty minutes after entering his office,” the FBI affidavit recounted. During the workday, he took notes while looking at a classified computer system. He folded the notes into squares and put them in his socks. He also transported notes in the bottom compartment of his lunchbox. . . . (read the rest)
