US IT Specialist Arrested for Attempting to Share Classified Information with Foreign Government, DOJ Reports
Northern Virginia IT specialist detained after FBI catches him allegedly sharing classified info with someone he thought was a foreign agent.
A government employee in Virginia has been taken into custody after allegedly attempting to share highly sensitive classified information with what he believed to be an agent of a foreign government, federal officials announced. The accused, Nathan Laatsch, 28, was employed as an IT specialist by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and held a Top Secret security clearance. Authorities say his access enabled him to view and handle a wide range of confidential materials.
Laatsch, who worked within the agency’s Insider Threat Division since 2019, came under suspicion following a tip received by the FBI in March 2025. The tip indicated that someone wanted to provide classified intelligence to a foreign nation—described as "friendly"—and did not "agree or align with the values" of the sitting administration. The individual, later identified as Laatsch, expressed his willingness to share intelligence products, unprocessed data, and other restricted documentation, according to officials.
After the FBI launched an undercover operation, agents posed as representatives of a foreign government and established contact with Laatsch. As part of the scheme, authorities revealed that Laatsch transcribed secret and top-secret information from his workspace onto a notepad, and exfiltrated these notes over a number of days. Surveillance observed Laatsch as he prepared to leave classified materials for collection at a predetermined spot in a park in northern Virginia during early May.
The FBI recovered a thumb drive from the area shortly after Laatsch departed. Forensic analysis reportedly uncovered a message from Laatsch alongside several typed documents bearing Secret or Top Secret portion markings. His note claimed to offer a “decent sample size” to demonstrate his access to classified intelligence within the DIA.
In subsequent communications, Laatsch allegedly requested compensation for his actions. He initially asked for "citizenship for your country," citing a lack of faith in the direction of the United States. He also mentioned he was “not opposed to other compensation,” but did not consider himself in urgent need of financial rewards.
Law enforcement says that between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch continued to remove handwritten transcriptions of classified material by concealing them in his clothing. On May 30, he arrived at another prearranged location expecting to deliver more secrets. At that point, FBI agents arrested him and secured the documents he had brought with him.
Laatsch is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday in the Eastern District of Virginia. The case is expected to raise renewed questions about insider threats and security protocols within agencies responsible for safeguarding national defense information.
