Former CIA Officer, Spy and Traitor Harold Nicholson Goes On Trial Next Week for Passing Notes Through His Son to the Russians

The New York Post reports that Harold Nicholson, a former CIA officer currently serving 23 years in prison for providing Russia with classified information, will go on trial next week for his passing messages to the Russians while he was in prison.

Nicholson (seen above in an FBI photo) passed the messages on napkins to his son, who in turn, passed the messages to the Russians.

You can read the Post story via the below lnk:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/former_jail_spy_sent_notes_agents_lv6AJQjBUw26Gt7gq448gJ


On January 29, 2009, federal officials charged Harold Nicholson and his son, Nathaniel Nicholson, with two counts of Conspiracy, one count of Acting as Agents of a Foreign Government, and four counts of Money Laundering.

The maximum penalty for the substantive charge of acting as an agent of a foreign government is ten years imprisonment, while the maximum penalty for conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government is five years imprisonment. Each money laundering count, including the money laundering conspiracy, carries a maximum of twenty years imprisonment.

The indictment also seeks forfeiture of funds provided to Nathaniel Nicholson by the Russian Federation, which the indictment alleges are the proceeds of his father’s past espionage activities.

Nicholson, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee, is serving a 23-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Sheridan, Oregon, for a 1997 conviction of conspiracy to commit espionage.

The indictment further alleges that Nicholson, working through his son Nathaniel Nicholson, received cash proceeds of his past espionage activities from, and passed information to, agents of the Russian Federation between 2006 and 2008.

As described in the indictment, during the course of the conspiracy, Nathaniel Nicholson met with his father on several occasions to obtain information that was intended to be provided to the Russian Federation.

Nathaniel Nicholson then travelled to various places to meet with representatives of the Russian Federation, including San Francisco, Calif.; Mexico City, Mexico; Lima, Peru; and Cyprus, where he collected money from them and received additional instructions.

Nathaniel Nicholson then brought the funds he received back to Oregon to disperse to family members at the direction of his father.

The indictment further alleges that the funds paid by the Russian Federation to Nathaniel Nicholson represented proceeds of his father's past espionage activities.

"The conduct alleged in the indictment shows a sinister and continuing scheme, by a former senior CIA officer-turned spy, to betray the United States of America for financial gain, " said the U.S. Attorney for District of Oregon, Karin J. Immergut. "Thanks to the continued vigilance of the FBI, and the extraordinary cooperation of the Bureau of Prisons, we expect to hold a former spy, and the son who joined him in his criminal conduct, responsible for their actions.”

Matthew G. Olsen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said, “Today’s indictment alleges that an imprisoned spy recruited and trained his own 24-year-old son to travel the globe to collect on past spying debts and channel information to foreign agents. These charges underscore the continuing threat posed by foreign intelligence services and should send a clear message to others who would consider selling out their country for money."

“Harold James Nicholson, already convicted of spying and compromising national security, thought he could profit from his previous espionage despite being behind bars," said Executive Assistant Director Arthur M. Cummings, II, of the FBI National Security Division. "Now, along with his son, he again acted against the interests of the United States, according to the charges."

"This is an amazing case," said David Ian Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. "Harold James Nicholson, a convicted spy, was allowed to serve time in a federal prison in Oregon to be near his family. Without regret, he used that proximity to his family to continue contact with the foreign country for which he was previously convicted of spying."