He also expressed his trademark annoyance. One reason for her frustration may be that some government officials were apparently not convinced of her story. 1972 - Joins the Chicago Police Department. His father served on the police force in Chicago and was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II when Hanssen was born. He was Amazon.com's first-ever history editor and has bylines in New York, the Chicago Tribune, and other national outlets. Alleman explained to ONeill that the smoking gun would be an actual information drop for the Russians. Robert was described as a loner and a quiet person, and he had a strained relationship as well with his strict and dominating father. May 16, 2001 - Is indicted on 21 counts of spying for the Soviet Union/Russia and passing top secret material to the Soviet Union/Russia. A self-taught computer expert, Hansen often encrypted his stolen files on wafer-thin disks. Pressed to explain what he was doing, she said, he acknowledged that he was dealing with the Russians. Accused FBI spy Hanssen cuts deal. (The bureau wanted someone pretty green so as not to arouse suspicion.) With two children already out of school, the pension money will help Bonnie Hanssen support two children who are in college and two more still in high school, Brookner said. Suit David Huband Photographer Catherine Burdon Agent Nece February 18, 2001 - Is arrested in a Virginia park after making a drop of classified documents. For instance, a piece of adhesive tape placed on a sign in a park in Virginia would indicate that a package had been placed in a "dead drop" location, which was usually under a small footbridge in the park. But Hanssen couldn't afford the lifestyle that he thought he deserved. Another government official confirmed that Mrs. Hanssen was given a polygraph test and said she had passed it. The parents of six children, Bob and Bonnie "were the picture of a perfect family. But dont be fooled by that appearance. They drove to New Rochelle to meet with the Rev. That effort is complemented by substantial FBI proactive investigation of foreign service intelligence officers here and by the critical work done by the CIA. By the time O'Neill slipped into the car on that fateful Sunday morning in 2001, an FBI operation was already underway to . I always liked writing privately in journals, but writing publicly is new. (I have come about as close as I ever want to come to sacrificing myself to help you, and I get silence. Although Robert Hanssen forfeited all the money he received from Moscow, his wife and six children get to keep their Vienna, Va., home and three cars, under the plea agreement. Browse 139 robert hanssen stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. COVID origins? FBI and CIA personnel who debriefed Hanssen about his 21 years as a spy for Moscow found him a prickly, uncooperative character and won't be sorry to see him pulling hard time in a distant lock-up. During his second round of dealing with Russian agents, Hanssen was much more cautious. four in a bed contestant dies. 2:02 PM EDT, Thu April 14, 2022, FBI Agent Robert Philip Hanssen is shown in this undated file photo, released by the FBI February 20, 2001. The couple, however, did not have a great relationship. In return, he received large sums of money and other remuneration. In October 1985, he volunteered to spy for the K.G.B., the Soviet intelligence agency, by sending an anonymous letter to a K.G.B. One eye twitched.. 1979 - Begins spying for the Soviet Union. Robert Hanssen moments after being arrested. In the early 1980s, Hanssen was transferred to FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. To his colleagues in the bureau he seemed to be a model agent. But in 1999, while assigned as an FBI liaison with the State Department, he once again began selling American secrets. Heart Of Darkness. Each time, I share the pride and sanctity of those words when new agents swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.. During his 15 years as an alleged Russian mole, Robert Hanssen had access to many vital . Robert hanssen: the fox guarding the henhouse. Guilty plea would mean life term, money for family By Naftali Bendavid . . While the risk that an employee of the United States Government will betray his country can never be eliminated, there must be more that the FBI can do to protect itself from such an occurrence. On May 10, 2002, Robert Philip Hanssen was sentenced to life in prison without parole. After graduating from a public high school, Hanssen attended Knox College in Illinois, studying chemistry and Russian. Darla, who had a masters degree in Education, would earn her own income by teaching learning disabled kids. As a result of these assignments within the FBI, Hanssen gained access to some of the most sensitive and highly classified information in the United States Government. A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. At least two movies have been made about Hanssen. The answer shocked ONeill, then 26. A feature film called "Breach" was released in 2007. A feature film called "Breach" was released in 2007. As an agency, we lived up to our responsibility, regardless of how painful it might be. Blood rushed to my face. Id answer neither. What we wanted to do was get enough evidence to convict him, and the ultimate aim was to catch him in the act, said Debra Evans Smith, a former deputy assistant director of the Counterintelligence Division. He worked as a policeman in Chicago for three years and was placed on an elite unit that investigated corruption. The complaint, however, does not allege any compromises by him at the State Department. After being released, he met his second wife, Darla Henrichsen, and the pair got married in 1963. His troubles with the law continued in Anchorage as well. He was, after all, a trained counterintelligence specialist. She visits her husband in prison regularly. Therefore, after he was given a 461-year sentence for his crimes, she chose to divorce him. Described as. He then applied and was accepted into the FBI. He worked as a source for the USSR and subsequently The Russian Federation. I said, No way we are taking your beat-up, boring, outdated old Ford Taurus to the DIA. For years, Hanssen stopped contacting the Russians. So Alleman instead asked ONeill to drive Hanssen to a meeting at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in an FBI vehicle that way, she could have someone search Hanssens car while he was out of the office. Hanssen refused. Before Hanssen left the position, Sullivan went to learn his new role at the Department of State. In the letter, Hanssen revealed that he had dreamed of being a spy against his country since the age of 14, after reading a book about Kim Philby the British intelligence officer who was also a Russian double agent. ONeills next assignment would put him right into the lions den. When these two KGB officials returned to Moscow, they were tried and convicted on espionage charges and executed. May 10, 2002 - Is sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. A Warner Bros. The FBI also obtains the complete original KGB dossier on Hanssen. Their goal was to catch Hanssen red handed in espionage. https://www.thoughtco.com/robert-hanssen-4587832 (accessed March 1, 2023). Furthermore, she supported her husband when he was first incarcerated for theft, and then for abducting and sexually abusing a housewife and a prostitute (although the rape charge concerning the latter was dropped when he pleaded guilty.) Hanssen was detailed to the Office of Foreign Missions at the Department of State from 1995 to 2000. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Once he got caught, the only thing he cared about was trying to provide for his wife and his children, who visit him regularly in prison, Brookner said. So it appears that the Justice inspector general, an independent office that monitors the department's work, was trying to determine whether the F.B.I. Hes also a sign of Mexicos healthcare crisis, Black residents of Jackson, Miss., blast plans by white-dominated Legislature for more state control, Spain approves menstrual leave, teen abortion and trans laws. He married Bernadette Wauck in 1968 and, influenced by his devout Catholic wife, he converted to Catholicism. The Russian had obtained Hanssen's KGB file. He became an agent in 1976, and spent two years working in the Indianapolis, Indiana, field office. At their very first meeting, ONeill reached out his hand and began to introduce himself. Even without knowing who he was or where he worked, Hanssens value to the Russians was clear both by the substantial sums of money paid and the prestigious awards given to their own agents for Hanssens operation. It was not a very demanding job, said Sullivan. Hanssen was finally discovered when a former KGB agent contacted American intelligence agents. Hanssen was suspected of leaking critical US intelligence. Hanssen, a 56-year-old counterintelligence specialist, was in the process of giving information to his Russian contacts in exchange for $50,000 in cash, FBI Director Louis Freeh said today. On 18 February 2001, Robert Hanssen was arrested and charged with committing espionage on behalf of the intelligence services of the former Soviet Union and its successors. If he gave the money from the Soviets to charity, and promised not to spy again, he would have the priest's blessing not to report the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Gallagher also told Hanssen that then-Director Louis Freeh had approved a two-year extension on his service and a promotion to the Senior Executive Service. But in her polygraph test, Mrs. Hanssen denied finding any large and unexplained amounts of money in her home, and the polygraph showed that she was not being deceptive, her lawyer said. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Chicago Tribune July 4, 2001. The criminal conduct alleged represents the most traitorous actions imaginable against a country governed by the Rule of Law. Father Bucciarelli came up with a plan to save Mr. Hanssen from prison, Mrs. Hanssen told investigators during the polygraph test, her lawyer said. Director Tenet and I have briefed the intelligence committees of Congress because of the clear national security implications. He betrayed his children. She said she told the bureau the same thing immediately after her husband's arrest last year. After his first wife left him, Hansen was released from prison in late 1962. ', Before I could blink, [Hanssen] had the lapels of my sport coat twisted in his fists and curled me up to eye level, leaving my toes tipping for balance on the floor. I imagined I could smell gunpowder on his breath, ONeill writes. In January 2001, Hanssen moved into a small office in FBI Headquarters secretly outfitted with surveillance cameras and microphones. Without the current unprecedented level of trust and cooperation between the CIA and FBI, making this case would not have been possible. Since he held key counterintelligence positions, he had authorized access to classified information. The attorney estimated that Hanssen contributed $10,000 to $20,000 to Mother Teresa in small installments over the years, although the FBI has not been able to verify the payments. robert hanssen childrenjennifer nicholson mark norfleet 27 februari, 2023 . During the early 1990s, KGB veterans began to approach western intelligence agencies and provide information. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. (AP Photo/Doug Mills) In all, by the time he was arrested in February 2001, Hanssen collected an estimated $1.4 million for giving lists of American undercover agents abroad, the identities of Russian double agents, documents showing the U.S. was intercepting Soviet satellite transmission and the methods by which the U.S . She told Sergeant Flothe (the man who played a pivotal role in Hansens capture) that their income streams were separate and that Hansen would spend the money from the bakery on his own needs. After five years working at the bureau as a ghost following suspects for a living he would be stepping out of the shadows: spying on someone in plain sight. agent in Chicago. Authorities said they are convinced that Bonnie Hanssen--unlike the wives of several other notorious U.S. spies who helped their husbands--was not involved in Hanssens spying. Why too much original content from Netflix is bad for subs 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Ousted Chicago mayor blames loss on racism, gender but not her tepid response to crime, Gisele Bndchen wants to try again and do better after Tom Brady split, Sam Levinson accused of turning The Weeknd show The Idol into rape fantasy, Scheana Shay tears up over former friend Stassi Schroeders pregnancy news, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell 'Spare' released. Annoyed at ONeills seeming incompetence, Hanssen lashed out, calling him an imbecile and a moron. Finally, he said, Well take my car, and thats final.. ''He never said he was spying. Nor can there be any doubt that he was keenly aware of the gravity of his traitorous actions. She said her husband told her he had received about $30,000 from the Soviets -- more than has previously been disclosed -- but he had spent much of it. Robert Hanssen, a church-going family man and FBI agent for 25 years, was actually working as a Soviet spy for well over 20 years. Two were executed. On January 12, 1976, Robert Philip Hanssen swore an oath to enforce the law and protect the nation as a newly minted FBI special agent. ONeill rushed everything he found to Alleman, who had all of it copied, and then quickly returned the contents to Hanssens bag. Playing to Hanssens ego, the underling, a newlywed, said he needed relationship advice about his wife wanting to wait to have children. After Bonnie Hanssen confronted her husband, he told her that he had been in contact with his Soviet intelligence counterparts only as a ploy to trick them with disinformation, the attorney said. This would be the first of many heart-stopping requests from Alleman. Robert Hanssen is a former FBI agent notorious for committing treason and selling state secrets to the Soviets (later the Russians). He was en route to a third spot to pick up his payment of $50,000 when he was stopped by screeching FBI vans and a slew of armed agents. The first time around, his wife divorced him after a mere half-year because of his incarceration for arson in Iowa. His Father, Howard Hanssen, was an officer with the Chicago police department and his mother, Vivian Hanssen, was a . Apparently, even though Hansen was naturally a left-handed person, he was always forced to use his right hand, making his speech problems worse. A feature film called Breach was released in 2007. Before concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet for the cooperation and assistance of his agency in this investigation. According to . Interestingly, Hansen got married twice. One day, she said, she found her husband scurrying to cover up some papers in the basement of their home in Scarsdale, N.Y. Posted in . Two and a half years ago, the FBI arrested Robert Hanssen, a 22-year veteran of the bureau, for selling secrets to Russia. (Photo courtesy of FBI/Newsmakers). Source: Netflix Article continues below advertisement One notable example was the information that the Americans had dug a tunnel under the Russian embassy in Washington to install sophisticated listening devices. Brookner said that the only time Bonnie Hanssen harbored any suspicions about her husbands activities came around 1979 or 1980, when they lived in Scarsdale, N.Y. She walked in on him and he covered up some papers, so she got suspicious, Brookner said. With two children already out of school, the pension money will help Bonnie Hanssen support two children who are in college and two more still in high school, Brookner said. 2000 - The FBI identifies Hanssen from a fingerprint and from a tape recording supplied by a disgruntled Russian intelligence operative. The US government took the death penalty off the table in exchange for Hanssens full cooperation. Sullivan noted that Hanssen spent a lot of time trolling ACS for information. Enraged to the point that his fist was clenched in a tight ball, Hanssen ran through his usual list of insults Idiot! . After work each day, ONeill would secretly meet with his actual boss, Special Agent Kate Alleman, recalling everything Hanssen said and did which, as it turned out, would be nothing pleasant. In that case, Hanssen would immediately know why no one stole cars from the FBI garage and there was no telling how the almost certainly armed Hanssen would react. Hanssen was serving as a detailee to the Office of Foreign Missions at the Department of State at the time suspicions around him arose. After being released, he met his second wife, Darla Henrichsen, and the pair got married in 1963. The Spy Who Loved Spying A good spy needs a good cover, and Hanssen had one of the best. In 1985 he approached the Soviets again and offered valuable secrets. Is sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. At the time, he was assigned to counterintelligence in the F.B.I. I slammed the door behind me and slid to a halt in Hanssens office.. In school, he was bullied for his acne, girls would not talk to him, and he also developed a stutter. The plea bargain allows Bonnie Hanssen to receive about 55% of Hanssens pension, which will total an estimated $39,000 per year. The data-some 6000 pages of highly classified documents-revealed . I told him I thought it was insane.''. She supports the plea agreement and agrees that the sentence of life in prison without parole, rather than the death penalty, is appropriate in these circumstances.. Hanssen pled guilty to 15 counts of espionage on July 6, 2001. The FBI entrusted him with some of the most sensitive secrets of the United States Government and instead of being humbled by this honor, Hanssen has allegedly abused and betrayed that trust. He and his wife relocated to Anchorage, Alaska in 1967. They had two children together and were respected members of the community. The Hanssens are active members of Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic group. Sometime in the mid-1960s, Robert Hansen got married for the second time. On the drive back, ONeill tried to play it cool even though he was riddled with fear that Hanssens car would not be at the office when they returned. Our hearts go out to them. Because of his experience and training as a counterintelligence agent, Hanssen went undetected for years, although some of his unusual activities had aroused suspicion from time to time. The following year, he married Darla Henrichson, with whom he went on to have two children. appreciated. John Cusack plays the villain in the movie, and if youre curious to know, let me tell you that the story is inspired by the serial killer Robert Hansen. The pension was an important consideration for Hanssen in his plea negotiations, Brookner said. '', She said her greatest ambition was to resume some form of normal life, adding, ''I would just like to disappear. Because of these coordinated efforts, the FBI was able to secure original Russian documentation of an American spy who appeared to the FBI to be Hanssen a premise that was soon to be confirmed when Hanssen was identified by the FBI as having clandestinely communicated with Russian intelligence officers. His assistant, Eric ONeill, was tasked with keeping investigators apprised of Hanssens movements. 1991 - Breaks off relations with the KGB. He visited an office of the Russian government's trading company and offered to spy. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. I take solace and satisfaction, however, that the FBI succeeded in this investigation. Before her May 7 polygraph test began, Justice Department investigators read Mrs. Hanssen her Miranda rights, her Washington lawyer, Janine Brookner, said. I live in Dallas, TX and growing up I was always the kid with "her nose in a book". Opus Dei and Hanssen: Masters of Paradox . I raised my chin and met his eyes, puffed out my chest and stood with my feet shoulder-width apart. A former FBI Supervisory Special Agen. July 6, 2001 - Pleads guilty to 15 counts of espionage and conspiracy in exchange for the government not seeking the death penalty. As it turned out, Hanssen had just been spotted by agents driving at a snails pace past the sign for Foxstone Park in Vienna, Va. I would like to ask him why he did it, ONeill told The Post. He was arrested while in the process of using a dead drop to clandestinely provide numerous classified documents to his Russian handler. December 2000 - The FBI begins surveillance of Hanssen. Heres a list, Greek transportation minister resigns over train collision as death toll keeps rising, Ohios senators to unveil rail safety bill in wake of East Palestine derailment, After months of pounding, Ukrainian official says military may pull back from Bakhmut, Elizabeth Holmes cites her new baby as a reason she should avoid prison for Theranos scam. But something went wrong and when the two men showed up in the parking garage, the FBI car wasnt there.