Spy Case

Counterintelligence - Espionage - Spy Case

Name	AMES, Aldrich Hazen aka Rick	AMES, Maria del Rosario Casas aka Rosario aka Maria del Rosario Casas Dupuy
Employer	CIA	None; was an asset for the CIA
Dates of Employment	17 June 1962 - 21 February 1994
Employee Type	Staff
Job Title/Duties	GS-14 Operations Officer
Military Rank	None
Clearance Level	TS/SCI

Spying For	Soviet KGB/Russian SVR
Codename	"Kolokol" ("The Bell")
Spying Dates	1985-1994
Co-conspirators	Wife Rosario Ames	Husband Aldrich Ames
Methodology	Use of dead drops, signal sites, meetings with KGB/SVR in foreign countries, deposits under $10K in various bank accounts
Possible Motivations, Problems	Money
Finances	Ames was in debt when he began spying. After spying: he and Rosario had a lavish lifestyle
Identified/ Investigation	Through investigative work by team of CIA counterintelligence officers who then gave the case to the FBI
Arrest Date/Location	21 February 1994, Arlington, VA
Charges	Knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully conspiring with others known and unknown, to violate Title 18, United States Code, Section 794(a) (Espionage), in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section(s) 794(c).
Court	Eastern District of Virginia
Lawyers	Defense: Plato Cacheris
Status	Sentenced to life in prison on 28 April 1994	Sentenced to 5 years, 3 months in prison

Date/Place of Birth	26 May 26 1941 in River Falls, Wisconsin	19 December 1952, Bogota, Columbia
Citizenship	US	US
Residences	2512 North Randolph Street, Arlington, VA
Education
Family	2nd wife: Rosario, one son Paul 1st wife	Husband Rick
Other Employment
Additional Bio

Documents	United States v. Aldrich Ames (February 1994) CIA IG Report on Aldrich Ames Case (CIA, 21 October 1994) An Assessment of the Aldrich H. Ames Espionage Case and Its Implications for U.S. Intelligence, Part 1 (SSCI, November 1994) An Assessment of the Aldrich H. Ames Espionage Case and Its Implications for U.S. Intelligence, Part 2 (SSCI, November 1994) Statement of the Director of Central Intelligence on the Clandestine Services and the Damage Caused by Aldrich Ames (CIA, 7 December 1995) A Review of the FBI’s Performance in Uncovering the Espionage Activities of Aldrich Hazen Ames (FBI IG, April 1997)
Quotes	"No punishment by this court can balance or ease the profound shame and guilt I bear." -- Rick Ames at his sentencing
Case Links	National Security Archive interview transcript of Aldrich Ames for the CNN Cold War series (March 1998) Rationalizing Treason: An Interview with Aldrich Ames (CNN Cold War, 1998) Excerpt chapters from Pete Earley's book about Ames: "Confession of a Spy" Victims of Aldrich Ames, by David Wise, excerpted from his book about the Ames case: "Nightmover" Rationalizing Treason: An interview with Aldrich Ames (CNN Cold War series, March 1998) National Security Archive interview transcript of Ames for CNN Cold War series The Literature of Intelligence - Ames Spy Case Aldrich Hazen Ames (FBI History)
BOOKS	Books about Ames case: Recommended by the CI Centre: Earley, Pete. Confessions of a Spy: The Real Story of Aldrich Ames. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1997. Wise, David. Nightmover: How Aldrich Ames Sold the CIA to the KGB for $4.6 Million. HarperCollins, 1995. Not recommended: Adams, James. Sellout: Aldrich Ames and the Corruption of the CIA. Penguin Group, Viking, 1995. Maas, Peter. Killer Spy: Inside Story of the FBI's Pursuit and Capture of Aldrich Ames, America's Deadliest Spy. J.M.M. Productions, Inc., 1995. Winer, Tim, David Johnston, and Neil A. Lewis. Betrayal: The Story of Aldrich Ames, an American Spy. Random House, Inc., 1995.

From DSS "Recent Espionage Cases":

ALDRICH HAZEN AMES, CIA intelligence officer and his Colombian-born wife MARIA DEL ROSARIO CASAS AMES, were arrested 21 February after a 10-month investigation, on charges of providing highly classified information to the Soviet KGB and later, to its successor, the Ministry of Security for the Russian Federation (MBRF) over a nine-year period.

From 1983 to 1985, Ames was assigned to the CIA's counterintelligence branch in the agency's European Division and was responsible for directing the analysis of Soviet intelligence operations. In this capacity he would have known about any penetration we had of the Soviet military or the KGB. According to press reports, the trail that led to the arrest of Ames and his wife began in 1987 after the unexplained disappearance or deaths of US intelligence sources overseas. According to court documents, Ames' information allowed the Russians to close down at least 100 intelligence operations and at least 10 US and allied agents were executed.

Ames reportedly received up to $2.5 million from his Russian handlers over this period of time. Reports of the couple's high-rolling life style included the cash purchase of a half-million dollar home, credit card bills of $455,000, and a new Jaguar sports car. A search of Ames' office uncovered 144 classified intelligence reports not related to his current assignment in CIA's Counternarcotics Center. Consequently some fear exists that Ames may not have acted alone within the agency.

On 28 April, Aldrich Ames and his wife pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit espionage and to evading taxes. Ames was immediately sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Under the plea agreement, Maria Rosario Ames was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for conspiring to commit espionage and evading taxes on $2.5 million obtained by her husband for his illegal activities.

New York Times, 22 Feb 1994, "Ex-Branch Leader of CIA. Is Charged as a Russian Agent"
Washington Post, 23 Feb 1994, "CIA Officer Charged With Selling Secrets"
Washington Post, 25 Feb 1994, "Accused Couple Came from Different Worlds"
Washington Post, 27 Dec 1994, "Ames says CIA does not believe he has told all"
Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct 1994, "Wife of CIA double agent sentenced to 5 years in prison"
Security Awareness Bulletin, 4-94, "An Assessment of the Aldrich Ames Espionage Case"

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