A former CIA analyst, Asif William Rahman, has admitted to retaining and transmitting Top Secret National Defense Information to unauthorized individuals. The information was later publicly posted on social media in October 2024.
Rahman, 34, from Vienna, had been employed by the CIA since 2016 and held a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI). On October 17, 2024, he accessed and printed two Top Secret documents concerning a U.S. foreign ally's planned actions against an adversary. He then transmitted these documents to individuals not entitled to receive them. By the following day, the documents appeared on multiple social media platforms.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber stated that Rahman's actions "placed lives at risk, undermined U.S. foreign relations, and compromised our ability to collect vital intelligence in the future." Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen emphasized that "the Justice Department will spare no effort to swiftly find and aggressively prosecute those who harm the United States by illegally disclosing our national security secrets."
FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells remarked that Rahman "blatantly violated" his pledge to protect classified information and took steps to hide his actions. FBI Assistant Director David Sundberg noted that this case serves as a reminder of the FBI's commitment to holding accountable those who disclose classified information without authorization.
Rahman was indicted on November 7, 2024, and arrested by the FBI five days later as he arrived at work. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
He pled guilty to two counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information related to national defense and is scheduled for sentencing on May 25. He faces up to ten years in prison for both counts under the plea agreement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy A. Edwards Jr. and Trial Attorney Brett Reynolds of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.