A high-ranking agent of the Spanish National Intelligence Center (CNI) detained in September for allegedly leaking classified information to the CIA took classified documents from the Spanish spy service to his home “four or five times” between 2021 and 2022, according to sources close to the investigation. The agent, who is currently in preventive prison, stated that he took the information home to conduct an economic audit of the CNI’s foreign deployment, but investigators believe he may have used this information to provide classified information to the US intelligence agency. The detained spy is a veteran agent from the Spanish Navy with the rank of frigate captain and served as the head of the CNI’s Russia Area, leading a team of 24 analysts.
The investigation is focusing on whether the agent received significant sums of money in exchange for the leaked information. The suspicions extend to possible real estate investments in Brazil and laundering money through the purchase of cryptocurrencies. The agent, who is 55 years old and single, explained his significant wealth by citing his years working abroad, where agents receive higher compensation, and a period during which he took a leave of absence during the pandemic to work for a US security company. Investigators believe that the agent may have been identified as a vulnerable target by the CIA during his time at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The investigation revealed that the detained agent and his friend allegedly stole classified information from the CNI. The agent stored part of this information on his phone using an application to scan images. This activity was discovered when his phone was investigated, confirming the suspicions of the information leak. The two agents are suspected of leaking classified information to the United States and could be charged with revealing state secrets or even treason, which carries a prison sentence ranging from six to twelve years. The investigation began after an internal inquiry within the CNI uncovered the alleged bribery by the US agency.
The capture of the CNI’s Russia chief and another agent by the CIA strained diplomatic relations between Madrid and Washington, leading to the expulsion of four CIA agents from the US Embassy in Spain. The Spain’s intelligence agency dealing with Russia has become increasingly active due to the significant Russian presence in Spain. Recent events, such as the murder of Russian defector Maxim Kuzminov in Alicante and the suspicious deaths of Russian tycoon Serguéi Protosenya and his family in Girona, have raised concerns about Russian intelligence activities in Spain. This incident of leaking classified information to the US is the latest example of foreign infiltration, with previous cases involving agents working for Russian intelligence.
These espionage incidents have tarnished the image of the CNI but also highlight the agency’s ability to detect and respond to internal security threats. The detained agent’s long career in intelligence included involvement in sensitive missions, such as the rescue of the Spanish fishing vessel Alakrana from Somali pirates in 2009. The current investigation sheds light on the risks of espionage and highlights the importance of safeguarding classified information within intelligence agencies to prevent security breaches. The consequences of such breaches can have far-reaching implications for national security and international relations.
