CIA contractor charged with leaking classified reports to journalist girlfriend

A CIA contractor has been arrested by the FBI and charged under the Espionage Act with leaking classified intelligence reports to a journalist with whom he was in a romantic relationship, according to an FBI affidavit.

Ian A. Brinksman, 42, a CIA contractor, was arrested by the FBI and charged with unlawfully transmitting national defense information under the Espionage Act. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

According to an FBI affidavit, Brinksman accessed five classified intelligence reports between March and October that were outside the scope of his job responsibilities, and allegedly passed information to his romantic partner, a journalist identified in the document only as "Individual 1," who runs an independent newsletter. She has not been charged.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe

Israeli outlet Ynet reported that the leaked material concerned Israel's efforts to persuade Washington to kill a senior Iranian official, U.S.-Israeli military cooperation, and a CIA assessment of the risk of civil conflict in Israel. Those details come from media reports on the affidavit, not from the charging documents.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the unauthorized release of classified material "poses grave risks to our national security, intelligence sources, ongoing operations, and our officers." Brinksman is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

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