US government snitch-finder pleads guilty to leaking state secrets to foreign spies

The former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) IT specialist previously accused of trying to pass secret and top-secret information to foreign spies has pleaded guilty following a successful FBI sting. Nathan Vilas Laatsch, then 28, and now 29, was arrested in May 2025 after an undercover FBI agent caught him for the second time …

[Anonymous Coward]

Slight difference

“By his own admission, Laatsch betrayed his oath..."

Not an oath, at least not in front of a government official/agent. It's a lifetime NDA (contract) between you (citizen) and the US federal government -- the standard "take everything to your grave (even if it's leaked or declassified)" agreement. Enforceable in court with criminal penalties, yes, but not an actual oath like courtroom swearing-in, the Presidential / Congressional oaths of office, oaths to defend the Constitution for those entering the military, or citizenship ceremonies with a judge.

(Anon, obviously. Don't ask. Go away.)

[Bonzo_red]

Re: Slight difference

So not an oath under 5 U.S. Code § 3331 then?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Slight difference

Original AC here:

Maybe he DID violate an oath for his office, but the REAL crime is breaking the NDA signed for a security clearance.

At least, that's how it works for DoD contractors -- no oath, just the NDA. He was a DoD civilian employee, and it is presumed that all cleared personnel sign the same NDA.

[Rikki Tikki]

"a friendly foreign government.”

So, not Canada?

[Fruit and Nutcase]

The old friends are no more.

The new "friends" are Russia, North Korea, any country with a tinpot dictator...

Cuba is still an enemy

[theblackhand]

So....

...on a scale of "trying to sell secrets but having no experience" through to "attempting to correct incorrect specifications in a well known game", how serious/determined was the leak?

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Drop

Didn't he realise that the best place to have dropped off the intelligence was at the pool house at his local golf club.

[Bebu sa Ware]

A Really Dumb C…

But then what's a "little light treason" — not as though a current US President was averse to hoarding similarly sensitive documents in his shit·house and occasionally indiscriminately revealing some of the contents to random guests but arguably also a really dumb C…

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Dumb and Dumber (2028)

Another installment in the movie franchise, slated start filming in 2028, with the starring roles played by a recent POTUS and partnered by a former DIA agent, pardoned by the aforementioned POTUS

[Jellied Eel]

Re: A Really Dumb C…

But then what's a "little light treason" — not as though a current US President was averse to hoarding similarly sensitive documents

Seems a common problem, ie the former President keeping documents in boxes in his garage. Or a previous would-be President keeping classified emails on an illegal mail server in her basement.

Laatsch, whom prosecutors described as an individual who had become disenchanted with the current administration, also expressed his willingness to accept citizenship in the foreign nation.

TDS seems to make people behave very irrationally. I wonder if this super-spy stopped to think whether the friendly nation might not have tipped off their contacts at the FBI or DIA, informing them that they may need a plumber.

[You aint sin me, roit]

I hope they had some fun with him at his arrest...

"It's no good boss, he's clean"

"But that's impossible... did you check his socks"

[standard user experience]

I thought this was a joke article

& had to check the date

I didn't think it was possible for someone to be this stupid

[disgruntled yank]

Re: I thought this was a joke article

Have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Cooke . Competence seems to be as randomly distributed in the espionage business as in any other.

[Flat Phillip]

Re: I thought this was a joke article

To be fair, that guy got off lightly due to the prosecution doing even dumber things.

I'm not sure what is worse:

calling from inside the Russian Embassy after delivering top-secret information because your car broke down OR

finding a bona-fide actual spy and immediately granting them immunity.

[Taliesinawen]

Todays AI augmented text brought to you by the letter “I”

> The identity of this country has never been revealed, but court documents [PDF] describe it as “a friendly foreign government.”

Does the name of this “friendly foreign government” begin with the letter “I”

[IGotOut]

Re: Todays AI augmented text brought to you by the letter “I”

Depends on the day of the week and if Trumpton has been told he can't have cocopops three days in a rown