By Steve Neavling
A Defense Intelligence Agency employee was arrested Thursday after allegedly attempting to share classified material with a foreign government, federal prosecutors said.
Nathan Villas Laatsch, an IT worker for the military intelligence agency, is accused of offering sensitive information to an unspecified “friendly foreign government,” according to court records and a Justice Department announcement, Politico reports.
In an email intercepted by the FBI, Laatsch reportedly expressed his disillusionment with the Trump administration. “The recent actions of the current administration are extremely disturbing to me,” he allegedly wrote, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. “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.”
The FBI set up a sting operation, posing as representatives of the foreign government in electronic communications with Laatsch. “Good afternoon, I received your message and share your concerns,” an undercover FBI agent replied, according to the affidavit by Special Agent Matthew T. Johnson.
Laatsch, who worked in the DIA’s Insider Threat Division — a unit tasked with identifying employees at risk of leaking sensitive material — was arrested in northern Virginia after allegedly handing over classified information at a pre-arranged meeting with the undercover agent.
According to court records, Laatsch told investigators he was seeking citizenship in the foreign country, citing dissatisfaction with conditions in the U.S. “I’ve given a lot of thought to this before any outreach, and despite the risks, the calculus has not changed,” he allegedly wrote. “I do not see the trajectory of things changing, and do not think it is appropriate or right to do nothing when I am in this position.”
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is leading the investigation. Laatsch is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday in Alexandria, Virginia.
“This case underscores the persistent risk of insider threats,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X. “The FBI remains steadfast in protecting our national security and thanks our law enforcement partners for their critical support.”
