The International Spy Museum
in Washington D.C. offers a look back at former FBI agent and Russian spy
Robert Hanssen
Was the son of a Chicago
police officer and a housewife. Howard Hanssen was part of a special division
called the Red Unit, created to ferret out communist sympathizers during the
Red Scare.
Attended Knox College in
Galesburg, Illinois, majoring in chemistry while also taking Russian as a
foreign language. After being rejected for a position as a cryptographer with
the NSA, enrolled in the Dental School of Northwestern University in 1966. At Northwestern,
Hanssen became known for his penchant for wearing Black suits to class every
day. In 1968, halfway through the Dental program, Hanssen grew tired of it and
decided he would rather become a psychiatrist. After growing tired of this
pursuit he returned to Northwestern and earned an MBA in accounting and
information systems.
Met Bonnie Wauck, a student nurse at a state
mental facility in Chicago in 1965. The two married on August 10, 1968. Wauck
was the daughter of a University professor and a practicing Catholic, and
member of the Opus Dei organization. Four years later Robert enrolled in the
Chicago Police Department and was soon assigned to a special training class for
a new division of the department that focused on police corruption.
Was distrusted by many within
the division, including his boss, John Clarke. Was considered a devoted family
man in his community, spending time with his children, teaching them to excel
at academics. He also became an enthusiastic member of Opus Dei, which was deemed
a cult by many. The organization instructed its members to attend Catholic
church services every day and confession once each week. Applied twice to the
FBI and was accepted the second time in January 1976. Was assigned to the
Bureau’s Gary, Indiana office but was transferred two years later to New York
City. Living with his wife and four children in Scarsdale, New York, Hanssen
was having a tough time making ends meet and decided to exploit his position
with the FBI.
Disenchanted by the lackadaisical attitude of
fellow FBI agents, Hanssen approached Russian agents and offered to sell secret
documents. He was rewarded famously for his efforts but was caught by his wife
while counting $20,000 and writing a letter to the Soviets in his basement. Thinking
he was writing a love letter to a girlfriend, she demanded to know what was
going on. He admitted to her where he had gotten the money but claimed that he
had only given the Soviets useless information. Instead, he had actually
provided the Soviets with very valuable information , including the identity of
Dmitri Polyakov, a top-level Soviet double-agent. Rather than turn him into the
authorities, she convinced him to confess his actions to an Opus Dei priest.
The priest instructed him to give up his activities and to donate the money he
received to Mother Theresa’s charities.
Was considered a highly
intelligent agent, but his tepid interpersonal skill as well as his continued
preference for black suits caused many to tag him with the nickname “the Mortician.”
Unfortunately, the perception that he was an aloof, introverted worker hindered
his upward mobility within the Bureau. Was transferred to the FBI headquarters
in Washington, DC where he was initially assigned to develop a budget for the
Bureau that was to be presented to Congress. Was moved to the Soviet Analytical
Unit in 1983 and given a high security clearance. After a four year stint, was
transferred back to New York.
Decided to re-establish his
link to the Soviets. Knew that the FBI was not conducting surveillance on
Victor Degtyar, a KGB Colonel living in Alexandria, Virginia. Hanssen therefore
sent a letter to Degtyar, with instructions to pass another letter on to Victor
Cherkashin, the head of Soviet espionage efforts in Washington. In this letter,
Hanssen offered to turn over classified and highly sensitive information to the
Soviets in return for $100,000. He also provided the name of three Russian
agents who were working for the United States. Two of the agents were executed
and one was imprisoned.
You can read the rest of the
piece via the below link:
Note: To Learn more about the
Robert Hanssen case I suggest you read David Wise's outstanding book Spy: The Inside Story of How the FBI's Robert Hanssen Betrayed America.
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