NSA Staff Member Imprisoned for 22 Years Due to Attempt to Share Classified Data with Russia
The Lowdown on Jareh Sebastian Dalke:
Looks like a former National Security Agency (NSA) employee, Jareh Sebastian Dalke of Colorado Springs, found himself in some deep trouble recently. Serving as an Information Systems Security Designer at the NSA during a short stint in 2022, Dalke ended up teaching himself a costly lesson in security breaches.
His turbulent tale involves an undercover FBI agent, some heavily classified national defense info, and one heck of a long prison sentence.
The Spy Who Thought He Was a Spy:
In 2022, Dalke began corresponding with an individual he believed to be a Russian operative. Little did he know, this "Russian" agent was none other than an FBI undercover agent. On August 26, Dalke asked for a cool $85,000 for some precious classified documents according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Over the following days, he exchanged sensitive information, using an encrypted email provider, presumably a legitimate foreign company.
With the deal struck, Dalke made the deadly mistake of meeting his "Russian spy" at Union Station in downtown Denver. At the exchange, he handed over four documents marked Top Secret NDI, carrying highly classified information relating to national defense. Caught red-handed, Dalke was taken into custody shortly after.
A Traitor Exposed:
A scrutiny of Dalke's digital footprint revealed some transparency mistakes. For starters, NSA tracks all the documents printed at its facilities, which made it easy to tie the documents Dalke gave up to him. Adding salt to his wounds, Dalke had also deposited the money he received during the scheme into the Kraken crypto exchange under his real name.
Burdened with a huge debt of approximately $90,000 from his student loans alone, Dalke, who served in the U.S. Army from 2015-2018, found himself desperate for fast cash, ultimately leading to his risky moves. Although many folks struggle with large amounts of debt, it seems this issue could be plaguing the pool of potential employees for sensitive government jobs.
A Tangled Web Weaves as Dalke Claims Heritage:
Court documents revealed that Dalke had recently discovered some Russian heritage, which may have led him to reach out to whom he thought were Russian agents. He also mentioned that he'd applied to the NSA out of curiosity for secrets and an appetite for change.
The Price of Treachery:
Dalke pleaded guilty to his crimes in October 2023 and was sentenced to a hefty 262 months, or roughly 22 years, in prison. Both the DOJ and Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed pleasure with the severe sentence. Garland stated that although Dalke believed he was selling classified information to a Russian agent, he was actually outing himself to the FBI, demonstrating that those who attempt to compromise government secrets will be prosecuted.
- Jareh Sebastian Dalke's encounter with a "Russian operative," in reality an FBI undercover agent, led to his requests for monetary compensation worth $85,000 for confidential national defense documents.
- In a questionable move, Dalke deposited the money he received from the scheme into the Kraken crypto exchange, using his real name, making it easy to trace the funds back to him.
- Dalke's involvement in the breach of highly classified documents, coupled with his mounting debt of approximately $90,000 from student loans, suggests that financial struggles may be a significant factor for individuals considerng sensitive government jobs.
- In a reflection of the consequences for compromising government secrets, Dalke was sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 262 months (approximately 22 years), a decision that both the Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland noted with approval.
