Robert Hanssen Espionage Case

Arrested: Sunday, February 18, 2001, Foxstone Park, Vienna, VA

Sentenced to Life in Prison: Friday, May 10, 2002, Alexandria, VA

Current Location: Inmate #48551-083/D, Supermax prison in Colorado; no letters, no phone calls, no visitors, cement cell, called "the prisoner" instead of his name

“Robert Philip Hanssen is a traitor and that singular truth is his legacy.”

US Prosecutors

Books About Hanssen Case:

Spy: How the FBI's Robert Hanssen Betrayed America

by David Wise

Intelligence author David Wise has written the last book on the Hanssen case. Includes story of CIA officer Brian Kelley whom the FBI incorrectly thought was the mole.

Excerpts from "Into the Mirror: The Life of Master Spy Robert P. Hanssen" by Lawrence Schiller and Norman Mailer. This new book about the Hanssen case by Lawrence Schiller and Norman Mailer based on their upcoming CBS miniseries on Hanssen's life. The actor William Hurt has been signed to play Hanssen in the show. Ron Silver will play Hanssen's boss and Mary-Louise Parker will play Hanssen's wife.
(excerpts are pdf files, requiring free Adobe Acrobat Reader):
• Excerpt 1: Catholicism
• Excerpt 2: Espionage
• Excerpt 3: Infidelity
• Excerpt 4: Kink
• Excerpt 5: Sex and Drugs

Washington Post magazine excerpt, of The Bureau and the Mole by David A. Vise

Washington Post/David Vise online discussion about Hanssen

The Bureau and the Mole website

The Spy Next Door: The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Damaging FBI Agent in History by Elaine Shannon and Ann Blackman

The Spy Who Stayed out in the Cold: The Secret Life of FBI Double Agent Robert Hanssen by Adrian Havill (first book to come out; summarizes news articles; [Hanssen was not a "double agent"])

FBI Agent Held Without Bond on Spy Charges

A long-time FBI agent has been charged with spying for Moscow since 1985, in what is being characterized as the worst case of espionage in FBI history. The agent is accused of handing over highly classified documents and betraying American intelligence sources and electronic surveillance methods in exchange for an estimated $1.4 million in cash and diamonds. The agent, Robert Philip Hanssen, was arrested at a park near his home in Vienna, Va., Sunday night, February 18, 2001....(Washington Post, 20 Feb 01)

July 6, 2001:

Hanssen agreed to counts 1-4, 6, 8, 9, 11-15, 18, 20 and 21. Counts 5, 7, 10, 16, 17 and 19 were dismissed. (Read the Count Indictment) His lawyer Plato Cacheris said Hanssen began his espionage in the 1979-80 timeframe and ended voluntarily in 1981. He resumed in 1985 and ended in 1991-92 timeframe. From 1992 to 1999, he did not commit espionage. In 1999, Hanssen resumed his espionage until he was arrested on 18 February 2001. Hanssen had a premonition that day that he was going to be arrested, but went ahead anyways. Cacheris said regarding the plea agreement that this was a rare case where "both sides win"--the death penalty has been removed and Hanssen is prepared to fully debrief the government on his espionage activities. The sentencing date had been set for 11 January 2002. It has been delayed to May 10, 2002 in order to continue the briefings.

Hanssen Sentenced to Life Without Parole

A federal judge on Friday sentenced former FBI agent Robert Hanssen to life in prison without parole for spying for Moscow, closing a chapter in one of America's most-damaging espionage scandals....(Washington Post, 10 May 02)

Movie About Hanssen Case:

Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story is now available on DVD. This CBS-TV movie stars William Hurt as Hanssen, Mary-Louise Parker as his wife and Ron Silver as his boss.

More Info or Order

CBS miniseries on Hanssen. Information about the making of this movie. The CI Centre staff were technical consultants to the movie.

Resources:

Hanssen Movie: Breach (Feb 2007)

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